Business Man, Youkai or Teacher?
by Sweeter Than Cheesecake
Summary: The well has been sealed and Kagome will never see Inuyasha again. So what happens when Sesshomaru, both the Sesshomaru we know and adore and a business tycoon taking a break and working as a teacher. SessKag
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Do you see the fan in fanfiction? It means something. It means that if I was Rumiko Takahashi this would be on TV and manga.

They were in the final battle. Naraku versus Inuyasha. So far it didn't look good.

Inuyasha was covered in cuts in bruises all over. Blood was dripping from every place imaginable. He was beginning to become tired, too.

Naraku, on the other hand, was looking okay compared to Inuyasha. He was covered with barely injuries and the ones he had were minor. He looked as if he was going to finish Inuyasha off at any time he wanted. Inuyasha still held on.

"Die, Naraku!" Inuyasha lunged at the half-demon, using the Backlash Wave. Naraku dodged it, but only barely.

Kagome, Sango, Shippo and Miroku could only watch. They had their own trouble to deal with. Shippo was helping Miroku and Sango to fend off Kagura while Kagome, being the only one who could last against Kanna, faced Kanna off. They desperately wanted to aid Inuyasha but they couldn't do anything to help without the risk of being killed or having another killed. It seemed so hopeless.

Suddenly, unexpected help arrived. A band of demons, humans and hanyou arrived. They contained Sesshomaru and Jaken, Rin with the Two-Headed Dragon, Kouga and his wolf demon tribe and Kaede. They all had weapons and a grudge against Naraku.

Sesshomaru, Jaken and Kaede took Sango and Miroku's place and the two rushed to Inuyasha, throwing her Hiraikotsu (sp?) at Naraku. Kouga's tribe took on Kanna and Kagome, too, went to Inuyasha. Kohaku came from the bushes and Kaede fought against him, making sure not to hurt him permanently, as he was Sango's brother. The only member missing out in action against Naraku was Shippo, who was too young to fight against such a powerful hanyou like Naraku.

Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango and Miroku had to make their move, but Miroku stayed back, only daring to risk swallowing Naraku and his poison if they could not defeat him. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu (sp?) and Kagome shot her miko arrow and the two combined and looked like Sango's Hiraikotsu (sp?) but with a pink aura around it. Inuyasha added the backlash wave to the mixture and it created the ultimate weapon. Naraku tried to dodge it but was sucked in by its force.

Naraku was destroyed by the weapon, bits of his carcass all over the field.

His shikon jewel was handed to Kagome by Inuyasha and she linked it to the thick one she already had. The Shikon No Tama was finally complete.

Kagome handed it to Inuyasha. "Here," she told him in a shaky voice. "Make your wish."

Inuyasha held it in his hands but then gave it to her. "You have it." He said to her. "Purify it. Then no one will fight and kill others over it again."

Kagome held the jewel shard and the jewel disappeared, never to be seen again.

A white light enveloped Kagome and she was blinded. The seventeen year-old slowly disappeared into it, bit by bit.

"H-h-help me!" She cried out, but to no avail, she was swallowed up by the light.

**To be Continued…**

AN: Like my little story so far? Hopefully I will enjoy this one no matter how bad it is... hehehe. Review please!


	2. Return

** Return**

Disclaimer: Read the disclaimer from the first chapter.

Kagome sat inside the well, shivering. 'How did I get here?' She thought, not remembering the white light. And then, as if a light bulb had been turned on inside her brain, she remembered. The scene flashed through her mind making her cry.

Kagome climbed out of the well and jumped back in, half expecting to be transported to the Feudal Era. She wasn't. Her feet hit the solid rock bottom of the well, just as her happiness reached the identical level. Rock bottom.

She cried. It was too much to bear. Kagome had lost so many people she loved. It was all over. The end. She would never see Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kouga, Kaede, even Sesshomaru, or the one she oddly would miss most of all, Inuyasha. She dismissed all those feelings trying to tear them from her heart to make her feel happy again.

_Why can't I go back?_ Kagome thought, yearning for the old land. _I have the Shikon no Tama, don't I?_ She asked herself.

Kagome looked at the bottom of the well. _It must have fallen there. _She thought, hoping it was, almost mad with need. Kagome went onto her knees, trying to find the Shikon no Tama. She searched to whole well, but it was not there. It was gone. Forever.

Just like the Feudal Era.

"Crap, how could this happen?" She muttered to herself. Her head was braced by her hand as she leaned her back against the side of the well, her knees pulled up so they were almost against her.

Kagome bit her lip, trying not to cry. It wasn't what her friends would want her to do. They would want her to be strong, right? She had to hold out, survive. For all she knew she had a test the next day, or a huge project due she would have to do blindly. At least it was near the beginning of the twelfth grade, so it would probably be review.

She pulled herself in a standing position, trying not to cry for the loss of her friends. "Stop crying Kagome," Kagome told herself. "What will crying do for you to help? Release evil demons from your body?" She laughed bitterly as she remembered something she had learned. "Oh, yeah, it releases enough toxins to kill a rat. Not close enough." (AN: It's true! It's true! I leaned it… -Tries to think- Somewhere!)

Kagome grabbed a stone by its edges to keep her from falling down. Her bare legs had already been cold by the fall weather in the fight. The temperature seemed only to decrease while reality was still taking its course in her mind. Her legs' use had long since evaporated from her mind. Standing was almost hopeless.

She glared at the cold, unforgiving stone wall of the well. Kagome could find no warmth in something that could bring her such pain. She had spent over two years trying to find the jewel. She didn't know how she would use the Shikon no Tama. Maybe give to Inuyasha so he could wish to become a full demon, his greatest wish. Well, she tried to do that and look what happened to that. It backfired and morphed her, instead of Inuyasha, taking her back to her time after she purified it.

Her mind eased off getting out of the well and started to stand, laughing at how ironic it was. 'It' was the jewel, her friends, her old life and her want for all those things and her struggle to maintain everything she had had. Her laughing was at first a small giggle, though it soon erupted into a booming laugh. Before she knew it, she was out of the well.

The whole shrine had woken up. All the lights were turned on. Kagome stopped laughing. Had she made everyone mad by waking them up?

Her worried thoughts stopped as she heard Souta's (sp?) cry. "Mom, I think Kagome came home!" His small feet made a soft sound as he walked energetically to the well.

Kagome laughed and went to him. "Souta," She told him.

"What is it, 'Nee-chan?" He asked her, his big eyes scanning the well to see if Inuyasha had come with her.

"The well is closed." She blurted out, cringing.

Souta looked confused. "What do you mean Kagome?" He asked her.

Kagome closed her eyes to try to keep herself from crying as she kneeled down to Souta's height. She gripped Souta's shoulders. "Souta, I can never go back to the Feudal Era. Neither you nor I will ever see Inuyasha again. Not today, not ever."

Souta just stared at her, a sad look on his face. "Really?" He choked out. Souta had been Inuyasha's biggest fan. It was going to be hard to let him go.

When Kagome realized she would never receive an answer from Souta she got up shakily and led her younger brother into the house. She waved at her mother and walked inside to bathe and sleep.

"Kagome, you look tired. Why don't you go to sleep?" Her mother asked her, worried about her state.

Kagome smiled kindly at her mother, knowing she truly cared for her and her well-being. "Thanks, mom, but I think I'll have a bath first. Kagome yawned and made her way to the bathroom, grabbing her nightclothes on the way.

As the bath water went over Kagome's body she wondered how she would cope with school. Her only hope was that school would be on strike forever so she wouldn't have to go. Sadly, she knew it wasn't likely that that was going to happen.

Memories of the times she spent with her friends from the Feudal Era filled her head as she soaked in the bathtub. When she pulled the Tetsaiga (sp?) and Sesshomaru almost killed her was one. As she reminisced she remembered that while they would probably not be in her time she would still have their memories to cherish. So, in a way, they would still be alive. (AN: I know, cheesy!)

Kagome got out of the bathtub and covered her hair with a towel and quickly changed into her pajamas. She blow-dried her hair and walked into her room yawning and remembered how glad she was to see the room when she had came from the Feudal Era before the last battle.

The miko's gaze around her room, untouched, caught on the window.

"How… Beautiful." Kagome whispered, as if she was an art critic, amazed by a new, magnificent talent.

She was right at her statement, though. The clouds were beautiful shades of pastel pinks, easily blending with the peachy warm oranges close to the sun and the dark-coloured, but still warm purples that faded into the night sky.

Kagome flopped onto her bed and pulled her pink and white over her, tossing and turning as she finally went into a peaceful sleep.

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: I'm sorry I can't write long enough chapters. This one's barely the small amount of three pages! I'm trying though, so don't blame me. I am desperately trying to stick to this story, which I must say, I really like. Aren't I so descriptive? Poses like a superhero Well, I'm only, like, 12! Don't blame me. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows. Constructive criticism welcome! I love to improve my stories. Please review! Or at least visit my page many times to check for updates.


	3. Friends

**Friends**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the second chapter.

AN: I really hope you like this chapter. After all, it's just a filler chapter and it oddly means a lot to me that I don't screw up.

Kagome woke up early, around five in the morning. She yawned and rose from bed, used to the early mornings from her trips with Inuyasha. She called Ayumi who called Eri and Yuka to say she was feeling well and would walk with them to school. At around six thirty the foursome started walking to school.

Eri started talking first. "Hey, did you know there's going to be a new teacher? I heard he's really young, really hot, really rich and really available!" She giggled. "Plus he owns a huge company but he's taking a break because he's overloaded."

Ayumi and Yuka stared at her disbelievingly. "Really," Yuka asked hesitantly.

"Really really!" Eri giggled. The three started talking about what he would be like. Kagome didn't participate.

"I hear he looks kind of odd, though, but cute odd!" Eri put in and the three giggled.

Kagome laughed inside bitterly. _As odd as Inuyasha?_ She thought. _I doubt it._

The walk to school was rather uneventful. Yuka, Eri and Ayumi giggled about the supposedly new teacher while Kagome remained distant from them, still adjusting to the permanent change.

They arrived at school and walked through the yard.

"Kagome!" A voice called from across the school yard. Kagome stopped to look at the person who had called her name, obviously male.

Hojo. He sprinted to Kagome and bent over panting when he got to her. Kagome looked quizzically at him. Hojo stood up and gave her a smile.

"How are you doing?" He asked her. "I guess your arthritis is gone, then."

Kagome sweat dropped. Her grandfather obviously said that because he had arthritis. After all, a few times when she had come back she had received a package for her supposed illness from him. How could someone her age have arthritis?

"Yeah, I'm fine now and I don't think I'll get sick again. After all, I feel so refreshed!" Kagome almost cringed from the lies. She wouldn't get sick like that again, but she definitely was not fine. She did not feel refreshed. Her heart was still breaking from the loss of the Feudal Era.

Hojo grinned at her once more. "That's great! I've been really worried about you. Do you want to walk with me to class?" He asked her, hesitantly.

Ayumi, Eri and Yuka cut in as they knew Kagome would say no, which she had still planned to. "Of course!" Yuka said. "Kagome would just love to!" Ayumi said. "How could she not?" Yuka burst in. They pushed her forward to walk with Hojo. Kagome did so reluctantly.

After half a minute of silence Hojo tried to start a conversation between the two. The school was very big and it would take at least ten minutes to get to either's class, though the other didn't know the other's schedule.

"What do you have first?" Hojo asked her, hopeful they would be in the same class.

"Um," Kagome said, pulling out her schedule from her backpack. "I have Feudal History first." She said in a small voice. Kagome was surprised at this. _Feudal History wasn't taught before_. She thought. _What if-_

Hojo broke her train of thought. "Who's it with? I have it too but I don't know if it's important enough to have two classes or just one. I have it with Mr. Sukago."

Kagome smiled forcedly at him. "So do I. Isn't that awesome? We can help each other out with projects. I can't wait to start."

Truthfully Kagome was thinking something else. _I'm ever so completely happy I have class with the amazing, magnificent Hojo. Seeing Inuyasha and Kikyo make out would be better. Hojo never stops talking! _She sighed and gave the boy another smile, again forced.

Hojo smiled back at her. Only this, instead of a fake smile, was a true one. "Won't that be fun? I wonder if today will just be an introduction day. After all, this is a new class."

They made brief conversation about the class as they walked down to the south end of the school. Room 409 was on the fourth floor of the five floor school.

"I wonder who the teacher will be." Hojo said brightly. "It'll be quite a surprise, whoever it is. I'm expecting an old bald man with eyes like slits and furrowed eyebrows like this," Hojo wrinkled his eyebrows and half-closed his eyes, making him quite a sight.

Kagome giggled, only partly fake this time. She was beginning to almost enjoy herself with Hojo. After all, he was trying so hard it was difficult not to laugh at his impressions. The only bad thing about being seen with him was the girls glaring at her, seeing as a lot of them liked him.

"I don't think so. I heard he's really young and cute. At least, that's what Eri says. Her mom is the head of the Parent-Teacher Association so I figure she must be right. I also heard he owns a company that's really big." Kagome said, almost laughing at Hojo's expression of jealousy.

Hojo flushed different shades of red from embarrassment. He scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Well, he could be dangerous or did something to sabotage his company by accident. And," Hojo added, blushing even more. "You're a very pretty girl Kagome. People could take advantage of you."

Kagome could have burst out laughing because of the cheesiness of it all. _Oh, look at me,_ She thought. _I have killed a few tons of demons and put my life in danger hundreds of times but men could totally take advantage of me. So true, Hojo, so true._

"Come now, Hojo. I'm sure I can take care of myself, but thanks for worrying. Oh, and I'm sure Mr. Sukago will be fine. Anyways, you can't judge someone until you know them. It would be unjust, something people don't like."

Hojo moved toward the door of Room 409 and started to speak but was cut off as the bell rang and the teacher opened the door. He appeared to be rather indifferent to the two students almost being late.

"Higurashi, thank you for the compliment but try not to be so late. A second later and you would have had to wait outside." The cold voice that belonged to who would be their teacher said.

**To Be Continued…**

AN: Ooh, cliff hanger. Who is the mystery teacher? sarcastic Bet you can't guess: P

Flames will be used to roast marshmallows and to burn the flamer's stories if there are extra.

REVIEW!


	4. Talk

**Talk**

Disclaimer: Read the disclaimer from the third chapter.

AN: I hope you like this chapter. Isn't Fluffy so kind for being ever so kind to Kagome? I love Hojo in this chapter. What a chivalrous guy. : P

"Se-" Kagome started to say the teacher's name but stopped. It would just earn her questions from her friends and she already had so many about the teacher now.

"Higurashi-san, Hojo-san, please take your seats. Higurashi, you have the seat in front of me, Hojo, you have the one behind her." Mr. Sukago said, turning to his desk. His white hair swung through the air and most of the girls sighed dreamily, though some just gawked at his hair, wishing they could have hair that nice. The boys shrugged and glared at him, apparently jealous of the girls' liking for him.

The teacher was Sesshomaru. _Sesshomaru... _Kagome thought happily. _The demon Sesshomaru from the Feudal Era. How wonderful. He must know where everyone else is. If he tries to kill me, well, I'm willing to risk it. I have miko powers and my friends mean so much to me. I'll go for it after class, just for them. _She smiled. _Just for them. _

"Higurashi," A voice called her name, waking her from her thoughts. "Higurashi, Kagome," The voice called her again and she jumped up.

"I'm sorry Sessho-" She said, catching herself in time to say his name how it was now. "Mr. Sukago. I seemed to have missed the question. Could you please repeat it for me, Mr. Sukago?" Kagome bowed, embarrassed.

Sesshomaru stared at her, looking elegant as always. He had changed, but not by much. He had aged by a year or two in mortal years, making him look to be only around twenty. His hair was still as long as ever but his white fur pelt and odd outfit was gone, replaced with an expensive business suit. Sesshomaru's face markings- his crescent moon and stripes- were gone, as were his golden eyes. You could still see bits of them through the contacts, but now his eyes were mostly an icy blue, piercing into Kagome, though somewhat soft.

Sesshomaru almost smiled at the miko and asked her the question. "What type of demon was the demon who was trying to hunt down the jewel shards for good?" On good he sounded sarcastic.

_She'll know this one, _Sesshomaru thought. _It's obviously my half brother. Plus she can give a little extra credit by saying he wasn't a demon, but a half-demon._

Kagome grinned at him, a beautiful true smile. "He was dog demon, Mr. Sukago. And, sir, he was not a full demon, but a half demon." She smirked as she sat down. Obviously Sesshomaru had asked such an easy question on purpose. She could tell Feudal History was going to be a breeze, seeing as she had been part of it.

"Now, class," Sesshomaru started. "We will be doing the Shikon no Tama unit for the whole year but next week we'll be having a test so start studying now." As an afterthought he added, "Homework," Instead of groaning, most perked up, wanting to be the teacher's favourite, even the boys, who had come to admire him even in the short hour of class. "What was the name of the miko who helped the half-demon collect the shards of the Shikon no Tama? It is due by next class, tomorrow."

The bell to end the class rang and the class walked out hesitantly, wanting to stay with the teacher. "Kagome, please stay behind." Sesshomaru asked her, beckoning her toward his desk. She was only too happy that he had acknowledged her.

"Yeah, Sesshomaru," Kagome asked, hopping slightly on the balls of her feet. "What is it?"

Sesshomaru frowned at her, and then sighed. "Ah, I suppose you can call me that, after all I don't have a class now, though I prefer Lord Sesshomaru. You did call me that in the Feudal Era. Otherwise call me Mr. Sukago. I know you must have questions about what has happened to your friends."

Kagome smiled brightly at that, not knowing Hojo was outside the door, watching, but unable to hear them, and waiting to escort Kagome to her next class. Hojo frowned at that. Kagome had never given him such a brilliant smile.

"I guess you like my name, then, Sesshomaru. Su_kago-_ the first four letters of my name." Kagome giggled. Hojo just put on a larger frown at her light giggle.

"It means divine protection, as you know, so I thought it would be fitting, as I will almost never die. Do you wish to know about your friends or not, wench?" Sesshomaru was getting almost annoyed know. In secret he had fancied Kagome, but now he was getting impatient with her giggling and unnecessary teasing.

"Sorry, Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome giggled, emphasizing Lord. "I do have some questions," She added hopefully, now serious. "How are they? Are they…" She almost choked on her words, "Dead?"

Hojo glared at Mr. Sukago. Had the teacher made her upset? If he had Hojo would make him pay. Nobody would make _his_ Kagome upset! He wouldn't let it happen.

Sesshomaru looked down at his hands, knowing Kagome was not going to like the new he was going to give her. "They're all dead." He said slowly, trying to brace himself for Kagome's unhappiness.

Kagome burst out crying for a few minutes and Sesshomaru tried to calm her down, though rather stiffly. She almost fell down from the hole she felt inside. It was like a black void sucking all her feelings out.

Hojo dropped his books in shock. Who in the world did this new teacher think he was, just barging in and making Hojo's Kagome almost fall to the floor in tears? Hojo almost barged into the classroom and held himself back. He would get in trouble if he did and who knew what the teacher would do? He did seem quite heartless.

"E-e-even Inuyasha?" Kagome stuttered to Sesshomaru. He nodded gravely. Kagome burst into a rage. "You killed him, didn't you!" She screamed, accusing him of murdering his half-brother.

Hojo heard this and his jaw dropped. Had the new teacher actually killed someone? It would be so preposterous! Only psychopaths and sociopaths killed other people, didn't they? Teachers wouldn't be allowed to become teachers if they were, right?

Hojo looked closer at the two, trying to see what Mr. Sukago would say. He could at least try to read lips- he did know some basic words from a spy kit he had gotten when he was younger. He could see Mr. Sukago's mouth forming the word no. He wasn't a killer!

"Kagome, I didn't kill him. He died from being of old age. It was not of my doing, or anyone else's. All right?" Sesshomaru explained to the miko. "I have lost people too." He added bitterly.

Kagome looked confused for a moment, wiping the tears from her eyes and remembered Rin, the human girl who had followed him around. She had died. "I'm sorry for your losses Lord Sesshomaru." Kagome said, bowing her head.

"Don't worry, she is in heaven, I am sure. Rin was a pure girl, even though she was associated with demons like me. I could revive her, but she did not want to come back." Sesshomaru said in a weak, but with tinges of pride, voice.

Kagome hugged him as Hojo dropped his books once more. He did not bother to pick them up at the moment though, he was too mad. A teacher? And Kagome? How horrible!

"Okay, thanks for helping me Lord Sesshomaru. Can you come over some time? You know, to show Souta who the new 'Inuyasha' is now. See you tomorrow!" Kagome said, walking over after taking a late pass from Sesshomaru.

Kagome was taken aback when Hojo met her at the door. "Uh, hi Hojo. What are you doing here? Do you need a late pass? I'll get you one." She pulled over Hojo to Sesshomaru's desk, who was planning out the next day's lesson.

"Mr. Sukago, Hojo was, er," Kagome actually didn't know what Hojo was doing- he could have been waiting for her, but what if she was wrong? Saying that then would seem self-absorbed.

"I was waiting for Higurashi, Mr. Sukago. I was going to escort her to her next class and when your meeting took longer than I thought it would I decided not to enter class late. It would look dishonourable, teacher." Hojo interrupted, saving Kagome from being very embarrassed in front of her new favourite teacher, even though he did not like Sesshomaru.

Kagome nodded. "So, uh, can he have a late pass? Mr. Wong is very picky about punctuality." Kagome said, somewhat pushily. She wanted to get to next class, she was late already and in ten minutes the bell would ring for break.

Sesshomaru nodded and signed a late pass for Hojo and Hojo and Kagome walked to class.

**To Be Continued…**

AN: I hope you enjoy this! I worked really hard on this and even did it after I ran into the edge of my door. So mature, right? I get to see Fun with Dick and Jane today! Yay! I wonder if it's good or not. Hmm. It sure looks super funny though. : P Without my author notes and all this portion of my story is a total of 1 467 words. An all time high for me: D I know I know, very sad. Who cares? Good for me.

REVIEW!

Flaming will be used to roast marshmallows- wait, I'm traumatized by marshmallows! not as weird as it sounds- I'll post why on my bio sometime

REVIEW!


	5. Kagome's House

**Kagome's House**

Disclaimer: Read the one on the fourth chapter.

Author's Note: Thanks, reviewers! And I'll be only updating on weekends for most of the time because I have more time to work on this story then. I'm sorry if this makes anyone mad. hides from mad readers

It was the end of the school day and Sesshomaru was completely tired. He had never been tired in his life and barely every slept. He could even kill fifty demons andnot even carebut this, this was very much different. The kids were just insane! In the last block there was a boy who got up and started punching another boy for talking to someone (supposedly his girlfriend). Sesshomaru almost hit him for being such an idiot. He needed to get his anger out on _something_.

Sesshomaru left his classroom only a few minutes later than the students. He walked over to his Porsche, the expensive car standing out from the cheaper cars owned by the other teachers. He climbed in and noticed Kagome walking home. Maybe he would take her up on her offer. It wasn't as if he had anything else to do.

True, half the reason he was going there was because he wanted to avoid his company and they wouldn't expect them to think he had gone to a little girl's house. He only looked like he was in his really early twenties. He was actually already thousands of years old. Sesshomaru remembered why he had temporarily abandoned his company.

He had wanted to see Kagome. Sesshomaru had worried she would be mad at him and would refuse to see him again. That was what had sparked his idea of pretending that he was stressed about his computer company, Taisho Inc., and become a teacher to release his stress. Being a teacher made it so that it was necessary to see him every day.

_Right, like someone would be a _teacher_ to loose stress. _He had thought at first. _Someone will know something's up if they have half a brain. _

Surprisingly, everyone had fallen for his act, knowing he was a little odd. After all, he had not aged for years and was known for his dedication to his work and that he lived and breathed it. It was quite obvious to humans he was off his rocker.

Sesshomaru decided to drive to Kagome's house, stopping on the way in order for her and her friends not to notice in case the trio that followed Kagome around would giggle and wave, like they did at recess. Kagome would be embarrassed and he didn't want that.

He decided to pick up some food from one of his favourite food restaurant that he went to when he ate, even though he didn't need to, being a demon. _Fate's Way, _it was called. The restaurant had things from all different types of cultures and he decided to pick up some Greek food.

Even though he had taken around twenty minutes to order the food he had picked up for himself and Kagome's family he still arrived at Kagome's house before Kagome, even though it was only by around half a minute.

Sesshomaru had parked half a kilometre away and had walked to her house carefully, as to not attract suspicion from the neighbours.

The demon saw her and her friends go into her house. _They're obviously working out a studying system. _He thought annoyed. How was he supposed to see Kagome now? Her friends would surely be suspicious.

Sesshomaru decided to try to make the time pass by and walked stealthily to the back of the house, making sure no one saw him. The white-haired man jumped onto the curved rooftop of the shrine and sat in between the windows and relaxed. He pulled out a Palm Pilot and started doing some calculations for his business.

Half an Hour Later

Kagome, Yuka, Ayumi and Eri were relaxing in Kagome's bedroom even though they were supposed to be studying. They had gossiped about boys, clothes and Sesshomaru, a.k.a. Mr. Sukago, their new teacher.

Kagome was getting tired of her friends' new topic- pairing her and Hojo up. She had gotten tired of trying to change the subject, so far failing, and decided to distance herself from them during the topic and stuck her head out the window. A single silver hair brushed her face. She froze.

Kagome looked to her left and saw Sesshomaru staring at her, poised and perfectly emotionless. She jumped up and almost screamed.

Kagome rushed over to her friends and made them go away, wanting to see Sesshomaru. They groaned and got out of the house, walking to their own homes.

After she had ushered the three-some out Kagome returned to her room and cautiously climbed out of her window to see Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru, what are you doing on my roof?" Kagome asked the great demon, working her way over sit next to him. Her hands desperately tried to grip a ledge of wood sturdily. So far she was failing.

Sesshomaru glanced over at her, cocking an eyebrow at her unsatisfactory balance. "I would like to talk with you." He said.

Kagome rolled her eyes, almost falling off the roof because of her concentration of moving. "I kind of figured that part out, Lord Sesshomaru." She was getting frustrated with him and the roof.

"Then I have nothing to answer." Sesshomaru said to her. Kagome glared at him and almost tumbled off the roof. "It is true. I did bring some food for you and your family." He put the package on the windowsill and stood up. The youkai then pulled Kagome steadily to her feet and placed her in her room.

Kagome just stared at him, not knowing how he had done that.

A small voice called out her name, panicked. "Kagome, Buyo bit me! Get me a Band-Aid!" Souta ran into the room with an angry Buyo latched onto his arm. He froze when he saw Sesshomaru easily climb into the room.

"K-K-Kagome," He asked her. "Who is that? It's sure not Inuyasha." Souta backed away and positioned himself three-quarters behind the door to Kagome's room.

Kagome pulled Souta forward. "Sesshomaru," She said, "This is my little brother, Souta." Kagome turned to Souta. "Souta, this is my _friend_, he's Inuyasha's brother. His name is Mr. Sesshomaru Sukago. Call him Mr. Sukago in public. I'm sure he'd let you call him Lord Sesshomaru in private."

Souta's mouth opened as if to question Kagome.

Almost as if she could read Souta's mind she answered his question. "You won't be seeing Inuyasha again. Please welcome Lord Sesshomaru. We'll be seeing him more often."

Sesshomaru almost smiled. _Seeing me more often, _he thought. _That's good._

Author's Note: This is a short chapter. I wanted to write so much more! But I wanted to post it today! I actually wrote the last 300-400 words while my friend was over at my house and experimenting with my body powder and hair straightener. 00 I'm happy to have her over though. She and her family took us to the mall so we could get makeovers from Clinique- and they paid! gets stars in eyes So it's worth it, even if she has to go home at eleven thirty.  Hope you like the chappie!

Flames will be used to roast marshmallows I will dunk in venomous caramel sauce and force feed to you. The number of marshmallows depends on how bad you flame me.

Please give loving constructive criticism or just say something nice. Or just…

REVIEW!


	6. Bows and Arrows

**Bows and Arrows**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the fifth chapter.

Author's Note: This is kind of a filler chapter that sets the mood for next.

Kagome returned to school the next day. She had Sesshomaru fifth block. It was the two blocks before lunch. She could wait a few hours to see Sesshomaru, right?

She meandered through the halls of the large school and entered her first class of the day: gym. She wasn't a big fan but did alright at sports. Her average from last year was a 'B'. Most people got that even though nobody really cared about sports nowadays, unless the boys were playing. They were interesting to watch and it made a good excuse to stare at a guy you liked if they played a sport.

She entered the change rooms and changed into the green knee-length shorts and white top emblazoned with the school logo (AN: I don't even know the school:P), a green drop of water. (I almost made it a green carrot:P)

As she entered the gymnasium she looked around the room to see why everyone was actually quiet, unusual in her school. Her eyes landed on Sesshomaru in a different pair of clothes than he had worn yesterday. He was wearing dark green pants and a white t-shirt. Around Sesshomaru's neck was a whistle, the same colour of his jeans. Under his arm he held a bow and arrow.

She stalked over to her friends, staring at him the whole way and he stared back, but only for a moment. Sesshomaru didn't like much attention and he had a feeling his freaky little fan girls would tackle her if they had the chance if he had stared at her.

Kagome waved to her friends, cutting off her stare. They waved back at her and she sat down beside them as she glanced between her three friends, wondering what they were thinking of Sesshomaru. Ayumi was probably thinking how cute Sesshomaru and she would look together. Eri and Yuka were probably thinking how hot he was and how they could brainwash him into hanging out with them.

As soon as Kagome glanced Sesshomaru's way the demon started speaking. "My name is Mr. Sukago, as all of you know. Mr. Yamamiya is away today so I will be taking over for whichever blocks I am able to take for him while he is away. I obviously do not teach this block so don't worry that any children will miss learning Feudal History."

The students were caught in his voice, or so it seemed. Truthfully, they were just staring at him. Their eyes flickered to the bow and arrow he had not mentioned during his introduction.

Sesshomaru understood why they were staring and decided to explain. "I have a bow and arrow with me because we will be learning archery this term, even when I am not teaching you. Gather into groups of five and line up in front of with your team. We should have five teams in total." He snapped his fingers loudly and everyone assembled (AN: they tried and failed) into groups of five.

Hojo walked over to Kagome and her friends. "Kagome," Hojo said to her. "Can I be part of your team? My friends' team already has too many people so I volunteered to go to someone else's group." He asked. Hojo then added an afterthought. "Not that I mind."

The trio of Ayumi, Eri and Yuka answered for her, thinking she would decline him. "Kagome would love for you to be part of our team!" Eri called. "We don't mind either!" Yuka said. "We don't have enough players anyway!" Ayumi added.

Hojo grinned at them and turned to Kagome, who was in the midst of rolling her eyes, but stopped as Hojo began to speak. "I'm sure archery will be a lot of fun, Kagome."

Kagome smiled forcedly back at him and volunteered to go get the bows and arrows and almost had to fight Hojo so she could get them. _It's almost like he's trying to protect me." _She thought.

Kagome walked over to Sesshomaru as Hojo rubbed his forehead. _Why didn't I put up a strong enough fight to keep her from talking to that perverted teacher?_ He thought annoyed at both himself and Sesshomaru, whom he had deemed not good enough for Kagome a while ago.

"Don't show off, Kagome." Sesshomaru whispered through his teeth to Kagome, not even looking her way as he handed the bow and arrow to her.

Kagome smiled at him. "I won't." She muttered through her smile, no one except them even noticing as the dark-haired girl walked back to her group of friends and suitor.

Sesshomaru snapped his fingers as soon as the last team had gotten their bow and arrow from him. "Line up. The order will be random but straight. Line up in front of a target. Go behind where the white line is, away from your targets. Start trying to shoot the arrows and hit near the targets. I will come around and help you group by group."

He first walked by Kagome's group first. Hojo was first, having his pride as a man. Kagome was next, even though her friends tried to convince her not to, it not being ladylike. Then Eri, Yuka were in line and finally Ayumi, who was scared of the bows.

Hojo loaded up the bow, Sesshomaru showing him expertly how to do it. "I'm fine, Mr. Sakugo. I'm sure I'll land somewhere near the target." Hojo said forcefully. Both Sesshomaru and Kagome could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

Hojo missed the target and almost the hit the target to his left. He looked down at the ground then to Sesshomaru. "I should've done better Mr. Sakugo." He smiled at Kagome embarrassedly. "Here's the bow and arrow."

Kagome pulled the arrow and bow together and quickly shot it before Sesshomaru could even try to help her. She subtly smirked at Sesshomaru who glared at her. He was disappointed she had chosen not to follow his orders. It was a perfect bulls-eye.

The class stared at her with dropped jaws. How had she done that? They all wondered.

Kagome walked back to the end of the line, half expecting Sesshomaru to pull her aside, which was what she wanted. She wanted to learn more about her now deceased friends and what she had missed in their lives, along with convincing him to pick up more food. The food he had given yesterday was really good!

To her disappointment he snapped his fingers, signalling to the rest of the class to continue. They did so, though rather reluctantly. Kagome was also 'rather reluctant' to go back to the end of the line with no attention from one of her new favourite people.

Unknown to them something was stirring. Watching and waiting for the right moment to strike.

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: Hi. I'm wondering if I should make Sesshomaru and Kagome's relationship slow-moving or fast. If I have it fast it'll mean the story in total will be shorter. Slow would mean there would be more chapters and there would have to be a lot of commitment to this story. Please review and tell me!

BTW I know I said I would only post on weekends but I need to post this. You know?


	7. Medallion

**Demon Medallion**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the sixth chapter.

With Hojo

Hojo walked to the Higurashis' garage and opened the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi." He said, smiling, "Is Kag-" The poor boy screamed as his eyes blanked out and he dropped to the floor moving to the back of the garage twitching.

With Kagome

Kagome walked to her house alone on Friday. Her friends were taking a different class than her for Foreign Languages as they took English and she took Greek and her friends had a test coming up. They had offered to let her study with them, but she declined, not wanting to be a third wheel. She planned to stop by WacDonald's for take-out and check out the phonebook she had at home to see where she could find the restaurant Sesshomaru had talked about.

Her bag was heavier than usual today. Perhaps that was because of the pile of homework Sesshomaru had given her. She actually had to study today for Feudal History today that much. And boy, if she had to study that much and had _lived _Feudal History she pitied the poor people in her class that hadn't a single drop of knowledge, unlike she.

The young miko turned the corner and saw her house and walked in, tired from the long day of school. "Mom, I'm home!" She called out, only to see her house was empty. Kagome arched one of her eyebrows. "Where is she?" She asked herself. Kagome glanced around again, realizing Souta wasn't there either.

She went to her room and dropped her things off, bag and all. Kagome then went to the back of the house, where the well was. "Mom!" She called out. "Souta? Grandpa?" Kagome tried, but to no avail. They were gone. A line creased her forehead in thought and she went back into the house.

A thought struck her. Kagome went to the garage of their house, where they had their shop and artefacts. Kagome glanced around and saw a medallion. Somehow, it _called _to her. Her eyes lost their pupils1 and she walked towards it and reached out to grab it, wanting to put it on.

With Sesshomaru

The great demon sniffed the air as he left his classroom. "I smell the curse of a demon in the air, absorbing ningen.2" His eyes widened and he ran, not bothering to start his car. It would be faster to run at his inhumanly quick speed.

Sesshomaru knew where the deathly scent was coming from. Kagome's shrine. He was almost at Kagome's house and stopped, skidding like a car to the front of her house.

Sesshomaru put a hand underneath the coat of his suit and felt the Tokijin there. He still kept it in case of emergencies. None had happened while someone was under his care yet, so he just hadn't used it yet. Now he was preparing to. Kagome was in danger. The great youkai could smell her miko scent getting closer to the demonic scent.

He jumped into where he supposed the enclosed demon was- Kagome's garage, breaking a hole through it, the door being on the side of the house. He tackled her to the floor and grabbed the medallion.

Thankfully it had no effect on him, except for a small burn where he was holding it in the palm of his right hand. Sesshomaru stared into it, trying to see the people who had been taken so far. He saw Kagome's little brother, her mother, her grandfather and to his surprise, a classmate, Hojo.

Kagome started to try to wriggle out of his grasp. He was holding her with his left arm, in order to keep her away from the medallion.

It was trying to possess her. She was the most powerful person in the area that could be unknowingly seduced by its power.

Sesshomaru was unsure of how to break the curse and let the people trapped inside the medallion out. He tried one chant he had learnt would undo this type of situations.

"Midoriko Higurashi, Grandfather Higurashi, Souta Higurashi and… Hojo are released.3" Sesshomaru said, stuttering on not knowing Hojo's first name on account he didn't have one:-P

The medallion tried to conserve its energy and keep the four inside, but to no avail. They were brought out. To everyone, including it self's surprise, the demon was sucked from the medallion as well, the medallion breaking into five perfectly equal pieces.

"Hello, ningen." The evil demon said as it took form.

Author's Note: Ooh, cliffhanger! I wonder what the demon will look like! ;-D I wonder what it will be! ;-) Or who? coughKougacough I have to go:-P

1 - You know when people get dazed and lose their pupils in anime? That's it.

2 – Ningen means human in Japanese… I think…

3 – I made up Kagome's mother's name and I just was too lazy to write her grandpa's so I just made him have Grandfather as his name. Hojo magically has no first name:-P Mwahahaha!

Flames will be used to roast flamers' stories, even if they have none: E

I had a really mean reviewer who went really sarcastic at my story as my FIRST review for another one of my stories. I plan to roast him like a marshmallow and feed him to my little sister! No names will be mentioned. coughSnaxStixStuxcough


	8. Kouga

**Kouga**

Disclaimer: Read the disclaimer from the seventh chapter

"Hello, Kagome." Kouga said as he appeared from the medallion.

Kagome's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, but no sound came out. _What's Kouga doing in the medallion?_ She thought. _He _is_ the one controlling its soul-sucking ways, isn't he?_

He grinned at her, almost evilly. "I actually wasn't the demon controlling the medallion, you see." Kouga said. "Another demon lives inside it and was controlling it. I was its minion, you see."

Kagome nodded, taking in every word he said. "I almost thought you were the evil thing in the medallion. She scratched the back of her head, embarrassed and laughed nervously.

Sesshomaru, on the other hand, had his doubts. Kouga was not the friendliest demon around, even though, Sesshomaru knew, the wolf demon had a fetish for Kagome. He could smell death and hate all around the wolf demon, his aura black.

_Should I tell Kagome?_ Sesshomaru asked himself, always contemplating his next move, thinking before he acted. _She won't believe me and will completely avoid me if that happens. I can't allow that to happen. I won't be able to protect her. _The demon thought negatively. _What if she believes me?_ He asked himself. _Unlikely,_ Sesshomaru thought rationally. He decided to keep it to himself.

Sesshomaru's appearance was acknowledged by Kouga, who, like Sesshomaru, had aged only by a year or two.

"So you've enlisted the help of another dog?" Kouga asked Kagome, treating Sesshomaru the way he had treated Inuyasha. Like a dunce.

Kagome flushed a bright red and Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, not about to let a wolf, who was prejudiced against dogs, get to him. But he wasn't going to let Kouga insult him either.

"I suppose a wolf is much better, Kouga." Sesshomaru said, as Kouga flushed red angrily. Sesshomaru spoke again before Kouga could after a short pause. "But, as you **should**know I hate Inuyasha as much as you do."

Kouga glared at him. "I know, but that doesn't mean you're not like him, dog trash." The wolf demon spat out at the greater one.

Sesshomaru retorted. "It doesn't mean you're not either. At least I don't dress like I live in a cave." He pointed out Kouga's clothes with his eyes. Kouga's wolf-skin garments were still unchanged from the way they looked before. On the other hand, Sesshomaru was wearing an expensive black pantsuit, perhaps Armani. He only liked top brands.

Kouga glared at him and turned to Kagome, who felt like banging her head from the unsettling conversation the two demons were having.

"Say, Kagome, I have no place to go." Kouga said pititfully. "The demon imprisoned me only a few human years since the well locked." He made a sad face, as if distressed when remembering it.

Kagome ate it up. It was amazing how gullible she could be when it came to people she even somewhat trusted. "Oh, Kouga," Kagome began. "You can stay at my house. My mom is used to demons in the house. Sesshomaru has been in the house a few times.

With that statement Kouga subtly glared at Sesshomaru, Kagome not noticing. Kouga followed her into her house, mouthing a laugh at Sesshomaru when Kagome's back was turned.

Kagome stopped, as if remembering something, and turned to Sesshomaru and smiled. "Good-bye, Sesshomaru!" She said. "I'll see you tomorrow in Block Four!" Kagome waved and pulled Kouga into her house.

Sesshomaru put a hand on his forehead dramatically, and annoyed at himself for letting her go alone with Kouga. It was dangerous, for one thing! Kagome could be murdered or locked in a different magical object! It could have an even more powerful sealing curse!

Sesshomaru swore and walked a few steps back to lean against the wall of her garage. He pondered whether or not it was wise to have left Kagome alone with the obviously not trustworthy wolf demon.

_What kind of score does Kouga have to settle to have such a thick black aura?_ Sesshomaru wondered as he inconspicuously shifted around on the hard stone wall, unconsciously trying to become comfortable. _Demons of complete impurity like Naraku only have black auras so thick. _

The great demon pulled a piece of his shiny white hair, annoyed that he could not come up with an answer. Sesshomaru knew the answer, of course. But it had happened over four hundred years ago, and he hadn't known Kouga well, anyhow. He couldn't be expected to remember on a whim, even though he had an intelligent demon mind.

Sesshomaru turned around and violently kicked the hard wall, not thinking about his great demon strength and what it would do to it. "Chikuso1," He said as the wall crumbled. He quickly jumped onto a box and grabbed the roof of the garage was going to fall with his right hand. With his left he quickly mixed the fallen pieces of stone back together. Sesshomaru walked quietly away from the house.

Where Hojo Is

Hojo strolled down Kagome's street, waving hello to all the neighbours. He was well known there, having visited Kagome so often, at least recently. It had been dangerous when she had had her fake sicknesses.

He had experienced the strangest thing earlier. He had appeared just like that in his living room, lying on the floor, his mother said, he was unconscious. The oddest thing was that the last thing Hojo had remembered before waking up was entering Kagome's garage. How odd. (AN: Ri-ight.)

He saw his teacher, Mr. Sukago walking from under Kagome's garage, which looked as if it was leaning on one side. Hojo blinked, not believing that the teacher he had thought was suspicious could be a stalker! Of Kagome's! He would have to tell. It wouldn't be right not to.

Hojo saw Mr. Sukago glance his way and quickly ducked between two trees in a neighbour of Kagome's yard. He couldn't afford to let Mr. Sukago see him. After all, the stalker teacher could be a psychopath. If he was, getting in his way would definitely not be the smartest thing to do.

He would have to do something about him.

1 – Um, it's not a nice word in Japanese.

Author's Note: Ooh, some demon action, huh? Isn't 'Mr. Sukago' so strong and heroic? Wow. And he has a student who thinks he is a stalker and potential psychopath. Lucky him!

Gee Wollikers! (Don't ask) Kouga was the demon inside the medallion? Who would have guessed! Sorry I coughed in the last chapter. Flu going around! And it actually was! I got so sick I was throwing up for three and a half hours. Wah! --

I'm going to make the story go medium fast because I can only have twenty six chapters because I label my chapters in my 'Fanfiction' folder by letter and I can't make it too long, but I will if necessary. Who knows? If this story is popular enough I might even make a sequel! Yay!

REVIEW!

Flames will be used to burn marshmallows, stuff them with caramel sauce, and feed to flamers! Mwahaha!

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	9. Sesshomaru, The Stalker

**Sesshomaru, the Stalker**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the eighth chapter.

Sesshomaru marked tests his Block 3 class had done and he sighed. Most of them had, obviously, tried, but most failed. They were probably unaccustomed to have to memorize facts and times and people who had done boring thing that people doing **magical** things would not be absorbed in their brains.

The door opened and he figured it would be Hojo, coming to accuse him of being a stalker or abusing someone. He had no doubt seen him coming out of Kagome's garage. Kagome had also told Sesshomaru that Hojo thought that he was inappropriately interested in Kagome. Sesshomaru could sense that Hojo cared for Kagome very much but was a little… odd.

The person opening the door, however, was not Hojo, thankfully. Sesshomaru would've had quite a handful if it was. After all, it was only halfway through Recess, which was fifty minutes, and he would have to endure quite a rant.

Instead, it was Kagome and her friends. They bowed to Sesshomaru tactfully and went to their assigned seats.

"Mr. Sukago," Kagome said to Sesshomaru from her desk.

Sesshomaru acknowledged her with a nod of his head. "Yes, Higurashi," He said to her.

Kagome stood up, recognizing she could now approach him with him acknowledging her, which she had known he would. The miko made her way over to the front of his desk. She bowed.

"Thank you for allowing us to intrude in your classroom while you are not required to in your free time." Kagome said, to remain inconspicuous. Students in her strict school had to say that to their teacher if they entered into class early and it amused the teachers.

Sesshomaru nodded. "You are very much welcome. It is a pleasure to know my pupils are so willing to indulge themselves in learning. I actually wish for you and your friends to visit my classroom more often."

"I will, sir. It would please me very much so." Kagome said, retaining her rigid form. She returned to her friends and started talking with them, all knowing that Sesshomaru would not mind at all.

"It's so nice of Mr. Sukago to let us go into his class early." Yuka whispered to Kagome, Ayumi and Eri.

Ayumi whispered back, "He's the best teacher in this school. I hope this class gets upgraded to twice a day. He gives a quiz every class but it is _so_ worth it because, you know, he's the best."

The four girls nodded in agreement. Kagome felt completely at home. Sesshomaru was a topic she was comfortable and knowledgeable about. She knew way more than her friends about him too, and thankfully he was an important topic, like shopping and boys, which Kagome definitely did not dominate in, her other friends surpassed her.

"Hey, why don't we arrange a party for him or something? We can get the whole class in on it and everyone will have a great time. Mr. Sukago always seems kind of stiff." Kagome said. She was really bored. Kouga was proving to be pretty boring. While it was nice to have him around, he talked a lot about himself. By avoiding him by hosting a party she could have something fun to do, not matter how lame it was.

Eri nodded. "Of course! I'll pass a few notes around in class. Everyone will be really excited." The girls bobbed their heads up and down in a positive response to Eri.

The door creaked open slowly and a familiar face came in. Hojo.

_What's he doing here so early?_ Kagome asked herself. _He _loathes_ Sesshomaru. I don't really get why he thinks Sesshomaru likes me that way. He just gives a teeny bit more attention than anyone else. And there _is_ a reasonable explanation for that. I'm the only living being he doesn't hate from the Feudal Era._

"Mr. Sukago, may I please speak to you privately?" Hojo asked Sesshomaru sharply. Hojo glanced at Kagome and she resisted the urge to bonk her head on her desk. He was going to make a complete dunce of himself!

Sesshomaru poked his head up from his desk and looked Hojo in the eye. He already knew what Hojo wanted to talk about. This Sesshomaru didn't like it. "Yes, Hojo, you may. Now?" He asked Hojo.

Hojo nodded. The sooner was the better. (AN: I know that's not the way it's supposed to go, but I hate having twenty million things on MW say I'm wrong, even though I'm kind of not.)

Sesshomaru got up from his desk, facing Hojo. He sharply turned towards the quartet staring at the two. "Don't do anything you will regret, or that will make me force you to feel regret. I will only be gone for a matter of minutes."

Sesshomaru and Hojo walked out of the classroom and into a private room for Sesshomaru that he had not yet used. It had a desk, similar to Sesshomaru's own at the back with a comfy, swivel, office chair. Sesshomaru wondered why he hadn't brought it into his classroom to sit on earlier. Two grey chairs were put on either side of the door, centered in the middle of the room. Another two chairs were in front of his desk. The floor was marble. The room was quite classy and comfortable looking.

Sesshomaru sat down in his desk. He made a hand gesture for Hojo to sit down in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. Hojo obliged. Hojo leaned on Sesshomaru's desk and clasped together his hands.

"Mr. Sukago," Hojo said. "I know you have a secret."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "What would that be, Hojo? I don't have any secrets."

Hojo raised his head and looked him in the eye. His glare was poisonous at his teacher. He had wanted to ask him this ever since he had seen how much attention Sesshomaru paid to Kagome.

"Mr. Sukago, I know you're stalking Kagome."

**Author's Note:** Tee hee hee! Hojo finally popped it out! He thinks Fluffy's stalking Kagome! Silly, silly boy! Tee hee hee! Oh yes, and Kouga will be included in the following chapters. I plan to make a nice plot with him in it. And the bad, bad memories that drove him to this level of insanity. Will a fight break out between Sesshomaru and Hojo? Will Sesshomaru get a trial for accused stalking? Will Sesshomaru fail Hojo? Will Kouga kill someone? I may include the answers to some of these questions in the next chapter! Tee hee hee hee hee! I hate marshmallows.

Flames will not be accepted and used to feed buckets of caramel sauce and marshmallows to the flamers! Mwahaha!

REVIEW!

V


	10. Hojo's Discovery

**Hojo's Discovery**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the ninth chapter. Oh! But I own Jou, my little made up character.

"Hojo, where did you get that idea?" Sesshomaru asked Hojo. Sesshomaru's look was one that said that he thought Hojo was an idiot. He pretty much was, though his intentions were good.

Hojo made his glare even more toxic. "I saw you walking out of her garage. I always saw that Kagome had been in the garage too and was walking out of it. That was only one incident." His hands clenched into fists. _Why isn't Mr. Sukago owning up to what he did?_ He thought.

"I know I was in her house. Her mother was a previous business associate of mine." Sesshomaru lied, covering up his story. "Have you heard the rumours going around about me? The ones that said I was an ex-company owner?" He asked Hojo.

Hojo nodded, not faltering in esteem. Sesshomaru _had_ to be a stalker! He just, you know, had to be! He had spread it around. To Kagome, who had not picked up on it, to Eri, Ayumi and Yuka, who thought it couldn't be true, to Jou (AN: I made him up!) who completely believed him and a whole bunch of people! How stupid he would look if he was wrong…

"They're true." Sesshomaru said, not lying this time. He was, but actually still owned the company, which was rather successful. "But I still own the company. I was having a meeting with her mother, who had an injury and also had laryngitis, forcing me to come to her house with my other associates, who walked, like me, being close to her house." He made a semicircle with his hand towards Hojo. "Do you understand now?" He asked him.

Hojo's brow furrowed. "Yes, sir. But couldn't you just have the meeting without her?" He asked.

Sesshomaru almost smiled. Another lie was going to have to be spun. "You see, Mrs. Higurashi was the most important part of my company's project. It would have been completely idiotic to hold a meeting without her. I hope you understand."

Hojo looked down and turned a bright red, embarrassed. Then he regained his confidence, looking up at Sesshomaru with pure hate. "Mr. Sukago," He said, "There is something else I want to discuss with you." Hojo's glare intensified. "I have reason to believe you are a demon, from the years of the Shikon Jewel and are a murderer."

"Why, Hojo, why would you think I am such an evil person? A demon, nonetheless?" Sesshomaru said to Hojo.

It was dangerous to be a demon nowadays. If you were caught a demon, you would be thrown into a laboratory to be tested on by scientists to see how you could be quickly exterminated. There were also other categories you could be put in. You could be put in a training facility and treated like dogs and be raised as obedient killing machines to guard people that could afford to have and be passed on generation to generation. Many other inhumane options were there also.

Hojo did not falter in his glare. "I saw you walking from Kagome's house. Somehow, you went at such a high speed you were a blur. _Cars_ could travel slower than you were by hundreds of kilometres. I am wholly sure that you are a demon, Mr. Sukago." Hojo's glare only intensified after his speech.

Sesshomaru was now panicking, well, for him. "I think that you need a bit of help Hojo, I did no such thing…" He trailed off. Sesshomaru flexed his hands flowingly, allowing the toxin within them to be let out.

"Or did I?" Sesshomaru smiled, showing his canine teeth.

Hojo's eyes widened. He knew that Mr. Sukago was a demon, but how was he making the green gas in the air appear? It was making him woozy, and his teeth… His sharp, carnivorous, _canine_ teeth. How could he be so powerful…? Hojo's thoughts trailed off as he fell back in his chair with tremendous force as Sesshomaru's lethal toxins knocked out the last of his consciousness.

Sesshomaru jumped out his chair, knocking it onto the ground and dashed out of the windowless room. He needed an escape, not a door. A door was too obvious, too clear. He would go to his classroom. Should he take Kagome? No, he would just be reported, not only as a demon, but a kidnapping one, too. Where could he go? Maybe he could stay at the Higurashi house? No, too obvious. Maybe, just maybe, he could break the seal of the well and return to the Feudal Era and find his brother. But first he would have to take care of Kouga.

He entered his classroom, the door falling off from the force of it falling. He jumped over the desks in his way, not wanting to hurt anyone. Thankfully the students couldn't see him, except for Kagome, with her intuitive miko senses.

Sesshomaru crashed through the window, not noticing the glass shards flying towards him. Simple glass could not cut this Sesshomaru. His demon skin would not let it break through. It was barely a tickle to him.

Kagome got out of her desk and grabbed her bow and arrows she had stored in her backpack in case an evil demon appeared. She regretfully loaded the arrow and aimed panicked at Sesshomaru, only wanting to, in her plan made in less than a second, nick him to stop him.

"Sesshomaru!" She called as she launched the arrow, not thinking of her classmates. Kagome realized what had happened and climbed hurriedly out of the fourth floor window, not caring that she could fall.

By now Sesshomaru had stopped. He had run around eight kilometres in that second while Kagome had pulled her bow and arrow. The demon pulled the arrow out of his arm and swore. It was a deep gash. He could tell it was Kagome's arrow. It possessed her aura. He knew she didn't mean to hurt him. He would have bandaged it, but he didn't have the time.

Sesshomaru ran to Kagome's house in a matter of seconds. He realized that he may not be able to protect Kagome anymore. He would have to imprison Kouga in something. Kagome would never forgive Sesshomaru if he killed Kouga. And now it didn't matter that Kagome wouldn't understand now about his imprisonment of Kouga. She would learn and forgive.

Author's Note: Ooh, cliffhanger! I don't like cliffhangers, so I'll give you guys a break and if you want to read a few insider tips about next chapter, scroll down. If not, just wait for the next chapter.

Okay. Sesshomaru is going to have a pretty epic battle with Kouga and Kagome will help seal him away, _but_ I may do that in the chapter after next. Sesshomaru in the next few chapters will be on trial, which I was going to have in this chapter, but I changed it to help finish the Kouga plot. I might include Kagura sometime. This is all the information I will give you.

Oh yes, if any of you like S + S from CCS please look out for a story I am writing. It's a Valentine's Day fic that I may put out next Valentine Day or sooner. It'll be an AU that puts S+S in 11th grade. It'll be long (for me), which is over 1500 words. At 5:50 on Feb. 16 it was 1059 words, when I finished this story. If you LOVE candygrams don't read the first part, because Syaoran disses them.

REVIEW!

You know what I'll do to evil flamers.


	11. Kouga's Demise Pt 1

**Kouga's Demise Pt. 1**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the tenth chapter.

Sesshomaru halted as he reached Kagome's house. He bashed through the front door, not caring who would see. Hojo had evidence when he had reacted so obviously guiltily. Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome's grandpa ran over to see what had happened but they didn't see Sesshomaru. He had already rushed up to Kagome's room. He knew that was where Kouga would be because of his scent.

Sesshomaru tore through the door and saw Kouga right in front of him. The wolf demon was; no doubt, ready to claw apart his face. His paw-like hands were held just below his face. Held in threatening curved positions they looked ready to attack. His face was cold, hard and emotionless. It reminded Sesshomaru of his own when he had lived in the Feudal Era.

'If I had stepped even half a step forward,' Sesshomaru thought shocked, 'I would have probably fallen to death at his hands.' He stopped himself from shaking with fear.

He returned his thoughts to reality. Sesshomaru saw that Kouga was absolutely still and looking at his opponent. Just like Sesshomaru himself… They were so alike but at the same time so very different. Sesshomaru, on one hand, had turned from evil to good. Kouga, on the other, had become evil _from_ good.

Sesshomaru brought up the courage to ask Kouga a question he had meant to ask ever since he smelled the black aura. "What made you evil?" His words cut through the air like a knife.

Kouga almost clawed him but realized right before he attacked that Sesshomaru was only asking a question. A question he did not fancy in the least to answer. A question he had dreaded would come.

FLASHBACK

_A black ninja star (AN: Is that what they're called?) almost sliced into Kouga's right arm. Kouga turned around to look and saw that the remains of his wolf clan were killed, including Ginta and Hakkaku. His heart frosted over as he saw the seen. _

_Kouga was now the last of his wolf tribe. Yes, there were other wolf tribes, but this is was _his_. His very own. Naraku had already killed many of them and now the remaining few were killed. How could someone be so heartless? Kouga did what his instinct told him to do- imply an attack._

_He put up his claws and looked around. "Who's there?" He called. Kouga received no answer and sniffed the air subtly. No aura was present, good or bad._

_A sudden wind blew against him. Kouga, for seconds, allowed himself to be pulled by it in a stunned demeanour. 'How can that happen?' He thought, 'That wind came out of nowhere!' Seconds, however, was all that was needed by the blower of the wind. It pulled Kouga towards him, imposing a feeling of dread._

_Black was the last thing that Kouga saw before he was consumed by the medallion. It controlled itself…_

_Leaves blew in the place Kouga last was. It remained unchanged last when Kouga was standing on it only moments ago._

END FLASHBACK

Kouga held back a wince as he remembered the dreadful scene. It had blackened his heart ever cold. He would never feel anything again but hate and rage. He wanted nothing more.

"It is not a kind scene. Let's just say I had an unpleasant encounter with a murderer of an object." Kouga told Sesshomaru in a cold tone. The mutt was not worthy of even a name. Let alone an answer to an important question.

"Then you shall not object to your death. If an object can ensnare you without a brain1 easily I can kill you in my sleep." Sesshomaru said to Kouga in an almost identical tone.

Kouga allowed himself some emotion of his to be seen. His eyes narrowed almost into slits as he glared at Sesshomaru. "I guess that if you are so impudent as to say you can beat me you _must_ be as stupid as I thought you were. It must be easy to beat you."

Sesshomaru gave him a cold stare. He did not move his eyes but they turned frost-covered as if his eyes had been crafted from gold-tone ice. "I say the same to you, incompetent wolf. You let yourself become locked away in a worthless pendant. I think even Jaken, ex-apprentice could have escaped _that_. I am not sad to say that you, as human teenagers say, _suck_."

A bulging vein appeared on a corner of Kouga's head. "What did you say you useless mutt? _You_ suck. Your crummy brother is better than you and it was easy to kill him! If anyone dies in this battle it will be you, Dogtrash."

Sesshomaru almost flinched at the comment. "I happen to have forgiven my brother a few centuries ago. I do not believe he is of shoddy work in any way. If anyone is inferior it is most certainly you, b."

Kouga attacked the powerful dog demon and a fight began…

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: Sorry for the seriously descriptive stuff- I just practiced a play from the internet which had a lot of Shakespeare type writing. I'm in the mood for writing descriptively! And I'm trying out for a school play on the 28th! Too bad I have no experience in acting except Drama! I'm happy it's a musical. My friends are both hoping to be Cinderella! One is okay and the other sucks. XP I like her but, you know, she's a few octaves higher than everyone else in Choir.

I'm not awesome at actions scenes so forgive me!

I'm working on a WITCH fic if any of you know what that is. It's a Will x Caleb so I assume I'll have a few flamers once it hits Fanfiction. That's okay. It's the people who _care_ that really matter.

Sorry that this is such a short chapter but I wanted to get it out by the end of Saturday and still have time to spend with my parents while my sister's out on her second sleepover ever so… yeah.

1 – If anyone was wondering Sesshomaru already knew about the medallion and stuff so that's how he knew.

No flamers allowed! I will force feed them one ton of marshmallows accompanied by eight gallons of caramel sauce! **Stands towering over everyone laughing like insane.** But all that can be avoided by not being judgemental and looking at how well written the story is.


	12. Kouga's Demise Pt 2

**Kouga's Demise Pt. 2**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the eleventh chapter. (AN: Wow! I'm so far!)

Sesshomaru easily evaded Kouga's deathly by jumping behind Kouga and slicing his back while he didn't know where he was. It was an extremely useful technique for Sesshomaru.

'Stupid mutt,' Kouga thought as he backed up to the door. An angry light flared up inside him. A nasty thought emerged. 'I'll just hurt him even more in return.' A smirk fell to his face, disfiguring it even more.

Kouga stepped another step back, just barely fooling Sesshomaru into thinking he was weakening and then decked under him and struck his hand through Sesshomaru's back.

Sesshomaru didn't bother to look at what Kouga had done to him. Instead he tried to finish Kouga off. If someone was that desperate to kill he would have to be stopped. They had once fought for a common goal and now were fighting to the death. How ironic.

The great demon grabbed the younger, less experienced demon by the neck and began to make a motion to slice his head off but he was interrupted by the door behind him opening.

Kagome stood in the doorway. Her eyes were bulging out. 'What in the world is happening?' Was the thought that ran through her mind. "Sesshomaru, what are you doing to Kouga?" She barked at Sesshomaru. Kagome failed to notice the hole of blood in Sesshomaru's upper torso.

Sesshomaru turned around and held his right arm, which held Kouga, to the right so that Kagome could see him. "I believe you fail to see what he has done to me." Sesshomaru ran his left arm slightly under his torso, not touching the skin because of the pain.

Kagome winced at the major injury. How Sesshomaru could have such an injury and still be able to hold Kouga by the neck, speak in such a calm tone and move was almost a complete mystery to her. She knew that demons could withstand harsh injuries but she expected that Sesshomaru would be keeling over in pain. Kagome shook it off. "What happened here?" She asked, dumbstruck.

Sesshomaru tightened his grip on Kouga, who was still managing to breathe rather well, as he explained to Kagome what had happened. He told her of the black aura he saw around Kouga and the action scene.

Kagome flared up with rage. All she heard from Sesshomaru were what she believed to be lies. "Who do you think you're trying to fool?" She cried out to Sesshomaru, unbelieving to his story. "Kouga helped _us_ defeat Naraku. I just can't believe that he did this!" Her face was red from the stress of making the decision to believe or not to believe the story Sesshomaru told her.

Sesshomaru began to get impatient but hid it behind his face, masked in an unemotional look. "Kagome, I did not get this hole in my back by tripping over a rock. I also did not come here just because I felt like skipping the class I was teaching to kill a seemingly 'innocent' demon."

Kagome considered what the dog demon had just said. He certainly didn't have a three-quarter foot hole in his chest by bumping into something. It was pretty clean cut and Kouga was a pretty clean fighter. Sesshomaru probably was right about the latter remark also. If he had any other reason to jump out of his window and not to kill Kouga he would probably go somewhere else other than her home.

Kagome now believed him. "I'll be right back, Sesshomaru." She said to the great demon. "Keep him there and he'll get to die a painless death." Sesshomaru nodded and Kagome went to get her bow and arrows.

Kagome returned with her bow and arrows. She held up the bow and aimed. "I'm really sorry about this, Kouga, but you're evil now. Be at peace wherever you go."

Kouga screamed as Kagome closed her eyes and let the carefully aimed arrow fly. It was covered in her miko aura. It, as Kagome said, gave Kouga a harmless death. She cringed with her eyes closed, reluctantly visualizing the scene in her head. She turned around and opened her eyes. "Sesshomaru, is Kouga gone?" Kagome asked the great demon, her voice cracking.

Sesshomaru quickly opened the window of Kagome's room and tossed Kouga's lifeless body to the garden in the back. He fell into a hole for a plant with careful precision from Sesshomaru. He walked back to the Kagome and put a hand on her shoulder. "He's gone," Sesshomaru said to her. "The evil is now gone." He walked around to Kagome's other side to face her.

Kagome showed Sesshomaru a small smile. "Thanks, Sesshomaru," She told him softly. "You made me see the dark in Kouga." Kagome looked down at Sesshomaru. "I wonder why he turned so evil…" The miko said in a confused tone.

Sesshomaru gave her a rare, small smile. "I guess we'll never know." He said.

"By the way," Kagome said, now on a more grounded tone. "Was Kouga the only reason you got out of the classroom?"

Sesshomaru frowned. "No," He said, sighing. "Hojo found out I'm a demon. He also thinks I'm stalking you and I doubt he will hesitate to put me in a demonic ward. I have to get out of here."

Kagome was thunderstruck. "Er, what?" She asked. The information hadn't fully sunken into her mind yet and Sesshomaru didn't say anything for a few moments, allowing the information he had given the miko to register.

"That can't be!" She cried out. "I won't let him!" Kagome stated, outraged.

Sesshomaru glanced at her sadly. "Kagome, there is nothing you can do." He stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "I'm leaving," He said.

"What the?" Kagome cried out. She pulled on his arm. "You're not going anywhere except to a certified doctor or my grandfather with that hole!" Kagome pointed to the practically unmistakable hole.

Sesshomaru pushed her away. "It'll heal in a day or two. Until then I'll wear long coats. Demons are like rocks. They practically don't feel pain. But they heal fast." He started to slowly walk away. His heart couldn't take running as fast as he usually did with his hole so close to his heart.

Kagome ran up to him. "I'm coming with you, Mr. I'm Such a Powerful Demon! No matter what you say, you can't handle it alone!" She grabbed his arm softly. "I want to help you." She told him in a light tone.

Sesshomaru gently took his hand off his arm. "Kagome, you would only slow my quest. When Hojo tells the authorities he will think that I also kidnapped you. I don't want you to be caught up in this. I'll only be gone until this settles. I'll get a court statement." He looked her sharply in the eyes. "I hope our paths cross again one day." He said sentimentally.

Kagome was taken aback by his sudden soft gesture. In the recent days she had seen a softer side to him but nothing so soft! The effect went away as he started to walk towards the stairs once again. "Hold it!" She said, pulling his hair gently.

Sesshomaru turned around, exasperated now. "Kagome, I have to go. Every second is a step that the demon capturing facilities get closer to finding me. Make it short. I'll contact you when this has died down."

Kagome ran down the stairs with him. "I'm coming with you! I'll tell my mom I'm leaving! I'll leave a voice recording! I don't care what anyone does! If you go I go!" Kagome stomped her foot in frustration when Sesshomaru continued to ignore her. "I'm coming, like it or not!"

Sesshomaru concealed a tiny smile. "Fine, fine, you can come." He said with a fake exasperated tone. Sesshomaru worried for her safety, but admitted to himself that he liked that she would come along with him.

Kagome danced around him, bouncing along. She babbled about how happy she was and what she was planning. It, for a normal person, was quite annoying to watch. But Sesshomaru was neither normal, nor a person. 'If you were anyone else I'd be extremely annoyed, but you…you make me happy.' Sesshomaru thought.

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: OMG! I'm so sorry I'm so late. I've actually written a few chapters ahead but but it got time to posting I was swamped w/ homework! My Socials teacher gives us an assignment whenever he can:( Pity me! I didn't post during spring break because my sister had a dance competition and I HAD to go. It was okay.I'm getting my teeth pulled today so I'm posting while I'm supposed to be at school.

This time you can flame me. But only 'cuz I'm late. Please give constructive criticism!


	13. Bus Ride

**Bus Ride**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the twelfth chapter.

Sesshomaru sat on the bus reading a magazine about, wouldn't you know it, _Business._ Kagome was in an aisle seat and leaning on him slightly talking to him too fast for him to understand. He didn't care to understand anyhow. The magazine Sesshomaru was reading had a section on his company and his recent leave. It was an edition from a week ago and this was what he was looking for.

'Idiots.' Sesshomaru thought as he read the article. It implied that he was irresponsible and that his leave was a sign that his company was crashing. That was far from the truth, but the most reasonable explanation in the eye of the public. It only confirmed that the magazine was trash that most business owners thought was informative. He had connections with all the businesses and had much more accurate information.

"What do you think, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru violently thrust his head up and turned it toward her.

"What? About what?" He asked, not using his brain power which was lacking from his blood loss. It wasn't too harmful to him, but he had had no sleep in ages and, well, it was catching up to him. Teaching was tough.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him, not annoyed in the least. She was more… amused. Her recent view of him was that he was simply misunderstood. He had showed her rare displays of emotion she had never seen before. He just seemed so much more… _human._

"I asked you what you thought of my friends, Ayumi, Eri and Yuka, Sesshomaru." Kagome said, poking him.

It amazed Sesshomaru that she could be so oddly… happy when she was running away from home and wouldn't see them for years. And she was asking his opinion on her friends who she wouldn't see for years?

"Is your magazine interesting?" Kagome asked as an afterthought as she noticed he looked like he had been annoyed with her and was ignoring her and only reading the magazine.

Sesshomaru answered this time, catching onto her worry. "Not really," He said, turning to her this time. "It just spreads rumours about me that aren't true. No one except people who have brain power equivalent to a stone would willingly believe them."

Kagome still maintained a smile, though smaller from the insult and quickly melting. "Eri, Ayumi and Yuka believed them until they saw you." She said. Kagome hadn't believed the rumours herself, but her friends had. Why, she did not know, but even though she was at a different maturity level than them she still stood up for them, even though sometimes it was unconsciously, like now. She liked Sesshomaru a lot. I mean, they had to be pretty close friends to run away with him because Hojo had found out Sesshomaru was a demon, right?

Sesshomaru almost flinched. He didn't like Kagome to be mad at him. He said something to her he hadn't said to anyone in centuries.

"Sorry,"

Kagome's unconscious glare quickly melted after she heard that word. She did hear it a lot. From family members and friends and strangers but from Sesshomaru she knew it meant something. She knew that Sesshomaru could be very cold and hearing that from him meant a lot to her.

"It's fine, Sesshomaru." She said to him, smiling. "Don't worry about it."

Sesshomaru almost smiled at her. She could be so caring when she wanted to be. He put down his magazine. Even if what she was talking about was uninteresting to him if it would make her feel happy it would be more than worth it.

"Thank you," He said. Sesshomaru added on to his statement, revealing to where they were going to stop off. "We'll be at my company soon. I'll be withdrawing some supplies for where we're going that we might need." He opened his mouth to continue but Kagome interrupted him.

"Like money, right?" She asked, wanting to be right. Kagome felt a lot of admiration for Sesshomaru and the way he made it through life.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "No," He informed her, making her feel rather embarrassed. Sesshomaru acknowledged that and made her feel better. "Like things that can be used to get money. There's a different currency there. We can get things from here when we need them anyhow."

"Okay," Kagome said, less embarrassed than before.

Sesshomaru nodded his head. "I have some clothes that I think would fit you. They were Rin's. She died a century or two ago. Nobody will notice, though. I'm sure of that." His voice almost broke with mention of Rin but quickly recovered. Rin had had an extended life by a few centuries by living with a demon but not nearly enough to live as long as Sesshomaru. "I hope that's okay with you?"

Kagome smiled at him. "Thanks," She said. Kagome could tell that Rin had meant a lot to him. Kagome knew what it was like losing some one you loved. She had lost the entire Feudal Era except for Sesshomaru and Kouga. Kouga hadn't been much of a resolution, though.

"You're welcome." Sesshomaru said warmly. "I'm sure Rin would be honoured to have you wear her clothes. She admired you from the Feudal Era. She always asked why she could barely ever talk to you. I told her that Inuyasha wouldn't be happy. She said I could protect her. I said that I didn't want to fight Inuyasha all the time. Rin said she wouldn't talk to you, then. She wanted for me to be happy. I hope she's happy…" Sesshomaru trailed off as he finished remembering about Rin. A smile was on his face as he remembered her.

Kagome smiled at him. "I would have loved to talk to Rin. She was the cutest little thing, next to Shippo."

Sesshomaru smiled back at her fondly. "They were a different kind of 'cute'." He said as the bus lurched to a stop.

Kagome walked out of the bus to meet a stunning sight…

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: When I wrote part of this chapter I was listening to 'Blue as the Sky' by 'Chaka'. It's an awesome song from CCS Movie 2. I think it's awesome and I've played it like 15 times.

I'm a shop-a-weirdo! I got to go to the mall for lunch after Band Day and bought a top with over half of my lunch money which, by the way, was not a lot. All I ate was a smoothie from Orange Julius. XD

BTW I have my Fanfic folder marked with a SessKag picture on it so I won't miss it when I want to update!

REVIEW! Flamers receive a bashing and too many marshmallows you will have to swallow in 5 minutes you will be throwing 'em up for a month!


	14. Office Rounds

**Office Rounds**

Disclaimer: See last chapter.

Kagome stared up at the colossal building in front of her. It looked as if it had at least 40 floors and was as wide as 5 houses from what she could see! The gleaming white paint and blue-tone windows gave it a polished air with not even a dot of the oh-so-common graffiti usually seen on such buildings.

"That's my main company building."

Kagome was startled and turned to the speaker, though she already knew who it was.

Sesshomaru stood a little behind her to the right. His hands were tucked into his jean pockets with his arms as possible from his body. His posture was somewhat casual and he stared straight at her. He was almost mesmerizing as leaves swirled around him and everything else but never touched him.

Kagome regained her composure and smiled at him after a few moments. She whistled in somewhat astonishment, turning her gaze to the building. "You must be pretty rich to have a place that big. It looks so… respectable…" She laughed and turned to him once more. "How'd you get all the graffiti off?" She asked him.

Sesshomaru shrugged casually, as if graffiti didn't bother him. "Electric wall." He replied nonchalantly, as if it was something you heard about every day.

Kagome stared at him for a second as she contemplated what an electric wall was. What if it was like an electric fence? That would be… inhuman.

Sesshomaru could tell she didn't understand what an electric fence was so he told her the _inhuman_ truth. "It's like an electric fence." He said dryly. Seeing that she was in disbelief and filling with rage he added on quickly. "But it only gives a very light shock to anyone within 5 feet of the area. It's completely fine, Kagome." He finished quickly, talking fast. Kagome could have a quick temper.

"That's still so horrible!" Kagome burst out. She saw the signal Sesshomaru gave her to stop raving and only was even angrier. "I mean, they're _people_! They're breaking the law in a minor way, I suppose, but, I mean, you know! Aaargh!" Kagome stumbled over her words as her rage built up.

Sesshomaru heard a sound from around them and jumped over to Kagome and covered her mouth. "Shut up," He whispered sharply in her ear in a rather agitated tone. Sesshomaru's eyes flew around, looking for a possible enemy to attack. "They know you're missing so act normal. Your family are the only people that know I'm not evil but they're not influential enough to convince everyone I'm not like the other demons in captivity." He took his hand off her mouth and returned to her side.

Kagome nodded. "Now let's go inside!" She declared happily. The statement was loud, but not loud enough for anyone to notice. She ran to the building and touched the door handle as Sesshomaru rushed at her yelling at her to stop. She ignored him, seeing no reason to stop, and was met with a rather nasty shock. Literally.

Kagome turned around to Sesshomaru, dangerously annoyed. Her long hair was frizzed in what resembled an uncombed, not permed, afro. Not a pretty sight, to be certain. "WHAT IS THAT!" She yelled at the demon, completely forgetting that she was declared missing and it was a miracle no one recognized her yet.

Sesshomaru stared her in the eye, not sure whether to just push her in the door _without_ getting electrocuted or be embarrassed and intimidated by the much shorter and younger girl. "The doorknob is like the walls. I have to open it because I have a company card. I would give one to you but, you understand." He said, not feeling like repeating himself about the parting of their country.

Kagome nodded and allowed Sesshomaru to take out his company card which he had in his jacket pocket. Kagome had guessed he had had it from habit. He must have run the company for many years and forgotten he didn't need it anymore.

Thoughts she had thought before ran through her mind as he slid the card embellished with a special code through the card thing (AN: Sorry! I don't know what that thing is! If anyone knows please tell me. I'm odd!). _Where are we going? Wherever we go can't we be detected? Demons are a big deal, aren't they?_ Kagome thought, worried at the fact they could be caught. _But I have complete faith in Sesshomaru. He knows what he's doing. He's calm and collected and knows what he's doing. Right?_

Sesshomaru motioned for her to come in and she stepped in. The inside of the building was fantastic. Sesshomaru had not visited ever since he started teaching but it had still held up and shone so that Kagome was awestruck. Not a single piece of dust was seen on anything. Everything looked as if it was in its place. Kagome would have loved to live in a place so clean if she didn't have to do it herself. Sesshomaru must have trained his employees well.

A secretary nodded to Sesshomaru and he nodded back nervously. The secretary had obviously not heard that Sesshomaru was a demon. It was a good sign. That meant that no one had found out yet about his demonic powers. Sesshomaru strode to the elevator and Kagome followed him, unsure what to do. Sesshomaru pressed the button the said '64'. They rode up for a while but neither started up a conversation nor even talked. They were fine in the silence.

The elevator dinged and the two walked out with no words from either. Some young employees winked at Sesshomaru, noticing Kagome and thinking that Kagome was his girlfriend. Sesshomaru glared at them with a look that said if-you-imply-something-like-that-again-you-will-be-fired-at-the-soonest-possible-second. Needless to say, they didn't take their eyes off of their work for a very, very long time.

Sesshomaru walked into the farthest and, by far, largest office on the floor marked 'Treasurer'. Kagome trailed after him, feeling embarrassedly out of place. A younger man was typing on a keyboard on a computer, firm eyes staring at the computer screen. As soon as Sesshomaru walked into the room his eyes opened wide while Kagome sensed an air of magic in the air…

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: I'm so sorry I was late! You see, I'm a lazy bum and my mom was constantly on the computer and never logged out so I used her profile. Stupidly of me, I earlier made it so that my docs could only be accessed on my file. See the problem. Yes, I know, I'm SO smart.

Ooh! Who is it? No one knows! Not even me! But it's someone new, who I haven't decided yet. A guy, obviously. But is he evil or good? I kind of like the way this chapter turned out. I had a cliffhanger, one of my torture devices! Tee hee hee! I like it! But y'all know I'll post again soon. I'm usually quite reliable except for that big gap between chapters 11 + 12… -- yeah. Never mention that again.

Please review! You know what happens if you flame. _Glares at everyone who could flame menacingly_. REVIEW!


	15. From The Past

**From the Past**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the last chapter.

Sesshomaru stared at the young man in the office emblazoned Treasurer. Sesshomaru recognized the man. They were only too familiar to each other.

The man looked up at Sesshomaru with a firm gaze. They stared at each other, both in pained shock. Both were steady in their gaze, but not hurtfully. But they dared the other to break to connection. The man was the first to speak.

"Hello, Sesshomaru. Have you had a good while after my mother died and you barely even notified me?" He spat out bitterly. "When I asked for a slight bit of shelter and you denied me and gave me barely anything instead? When you pretended you didn't even know me?" His words were cold and full of malice.

Sesshomaru stood tall and looked as if he felt no guilt. "Boy, you deserted me, your rightful guardian after your mother died when I made great effort to take you in. You believed that I was the reason your mother died and temporarily caused a time when I was close to bankruptcy. You insulted me by calling me a brainless fool and I gave you a small fortune instead to support you since I learned you were living on the curb. It was enough to support you for a lifetime. I pretended I didn't know you because you came up to me on the street and cruelly asked me if I had told anyone about my homicidal self. I have no such self. As you see I have perfectly good reasons why I did what I did."

The younger man glared at him. "Though you look the same age as me, you are an elder with such obviousness because of the crumbling of your feeble mind. And it is emphasized by many things, such as your leaving your successful company to become a _teacher_ who receives little to no payment. (AN: No offence to teachers! He's rather opinionated and just wants to find reasons to hate Fluffy.)"

Kagome just stared as the two verbally sparred. The man was really the only person with harsh intentions. Sesshomaru was just giving reasons and contradicting the other's words. So it was really a one-sided battle. Nevertheless, the man was mad.

_Who is he?_ Kagome thought. _And how in the world does Sesshomaru know him? I mean, _I've_ never seen him before. Maybe he's one of Sesshomaru's past acquaintances but I thought I'd met all of them. Plus, he looks kind of human, but a little demonic. Maybe he's half and half, like Inuyasha. But then how would Sesshomaru know him? I'm so confused…_

"Kagome." Her name being said brought Kagome back into reality. "Her name is Kagome, boy." It was Sesshomaru. "It is not human, or wench, or something so demeaning and general. Now, let us get to business."

"Why don't you, moron, tell your _wench_ who I am? Or is she not important enough?" The man said, emphasizing the word wench. His tone hadn't changed in the least.

Sesshomaru blinked and then turned to Kagome. "I'm sorry, I forgot about you." When he saw Kagome raise an eyebrow he added on. "This is Rin's son, Riku. He's a half-demon, born a few centuries ago. The date is rather painful for me. I am his guardian. We may have a delay."

Kagome nodded. "Okay." She said to Sesshomaru. Then, realizing that if Sesshomaru was going to do the talking, they would be going nowhere fast, she began talking to Riku. "I don't want to hurt you and I'm guessing we just need some money and that _should_ be pretty easy for you to get, since you're treasurer, which is pretty big, I guess, so please just help us." Kagome scrambled her words all into one.

"What do I get?" Riku said indignantly. Clearly he didn't hold much respect for Kagome, seeing as she accompanied Sesshomaru. But, as she was not Sesshomaru and was a human, like his mother, so he felt slightly better about her than Sesshomaru. Still, Riku needed something to make his help worthwhile.

Sesshomaru was about to say something but Kagome interrupted. "You'll get a bonus for your paycheque this month!" Kagome cut in. "How about it?"

Sesshomaru was about to comment that he would do no such thing for Riku but Riku quickly replied. "Five hundred extra!" He announced triumphantly. "_How about it?_" He mocked.

Sesshomaru, again, desperately now, tried to cut in, but to no avail. Kagome had already spoken to Riku. "What's your original paycheque per month?" She asked, as if in a debate.

"Fifteen hundred! It's quite reasonable, wench! Just agree!" Riku said. Kagome immediately noticed that five hundred wouldn't be much and…

"Boy! I own this company! If you do not give us the information I will fire you and blacklist you from all companies I am in contact with which is almost every one in Japan, a few in Africa, five thousand in America, both North and South and all the important ones in Europe and Asia and one thousand in Australia! You _will _oblige!" Sesshomaru was so sick and tired of these two arguing while his reason was much easier.

Kagome was in shock but Riku had something to say. "Does that impeccable memory of meaningless things reside where your feelings should be?" His words didn't make Sesshomaru feel lower than Riku, just disappointed in his somewhat grandchild.

"Riku, I will fire you. Do you understand?" Sesshomaru made his point clear with those words.

Riku flipped around to his computer and started typing. Within seconds finely printed, almost new, thousand yen dollars appeared. Quite a few of them. More like quite a hundred of them. He flipped around and handed them to Sesshomaru.

"Here." Riku quickly stuffed them into Sesshomaru's hands. "Is this what you want? There you go, then. Good-bye. Okay?"

Sesshomaru stopped Riku from turning around. "Boy, since you're here I would like you to come with Kagome and I. Now, when we come back I will fire who ever takes your chair and you will have your old salary. If not, you will have the option from before. Now, come." Needless to say, Sesshomaru was quite convincing.

Rike jumped out of his chair immediately and followed Sesshomaru on his way out of the office, Kagome trailing behind. No one, except for Sesshomaru, knew where they were going.

As soon as they were out of the office Sesshomaru grabbed both Riku and Kagome and went at his demonic speed. They landed at the Higurashi shrine. Sesshomaru and Riku, with their sensitive hearing, heard a few police sirens in the fare distance. Sesshomaru figured they'd have enough time to do what they had to.

Sesshomaru, Kagome and Riku entered the Higurashi household and Sesshomaru shut the door quietly. He listened to where Kagome's family was in the house and entered the kitchen. Everyone dropped their chopsticks at the sight of Sesshomaru. Souta and Mrs. Higurashi just stared while Kagome's grandfather They weren't accustomed to demons other than Inuyasha who, noticeably, wasn't coming anymore.

Sesshomaru bowed and Kagome spoke up, seeing how it was her family. "Hi, Mom, Souta, Grandpa. This is Sukago Sesshomaru. He's my teacher who happens to be Inuyasha's half brother. Um, I'm guessing he needs a favour or something. I really don't know why he's here."

Riku coughed. He liked attention and clearly Kagome was forgetting him. He made a mental note to burn something of hers later. He had a mildly violent nature, unlike his mother.

"Oh! Yeah!" Kagome said, realizing she had forgotten the man. "Sorry, this is… er…" She didn't know Riku's last name and glanced quickly over at Sesshomaru for help.

Sesshomaru quickly coughed fakely into his sleeve, though it was very convincing. He mumbled 'Tomoyoshi' as he did so, indicating Riku's last name. He hoped Kagome, though somewhat naïve would take the hint.

Kagome eagerly took it. "Tomoyoshi Riku! Really great guy. Bit of a temper, though. Sesshomaru and he are cousins! Twice removed, of course. Sesshomaru's mom's side. They're great together!" She tried to make their relationship sound more believable and, well, on better terms than real.

Souta's face brightened up. "Is he like Inuyasha? Is he really, really cool?" He had a look on his face as if he had found out his birthday was on every day of the year and everyone on earth had to get him a present each birthday.

Kagome shook her head. "No, Souta. He's not rude or picky, he's much better." She said that to make Souta, well, shut up. If not she would hear so much about how Sesshomaru should be like Inuyasha when she got back. Now Souta would just be scared of him when they got back.

Sesshomaru bowed. "You see, I am a demon." The family flinched, even though they knew that he would probably be a demon, demons were still pretty feared in their world. Sesshomaru continued. "Though I am a very powerful and influential man I will no doubt be imprisoned. I refuse to let myself go to the prison. Kagome's friend Hojo knows I am a demon. He will not hesitate to tell anyone, especially the authorities. Therefore I need to buy things off of you."

The family didn't really know what to say to that. Buy their things off of them? I mean, what's with that? But they weren't exactly going to let a respectable demon become insane in a prison. They agreed.

Sesshomaru swept through the house quickly and bought little things and bigger things, but nothing the family would miss much. Strangely, nothing with a plug, but many, many batteries he bought. The family was paid very handsomely. Let's say a small fortune.

Sesshomaru left the house and Kagome trailed after him. "Kagome!" Her mother cried. "Where are you going?" She asked her.

"Oh, I'm going with Sesshomaru. He isn't very happy about it but he knows a lot of stuff about the Feudal Era and what happened to everyone. Don't worry about me, Mom." Kagome said to her mother, trailing after Sesshomaru.

**To Be Continued…**

Next chapter we find out where they're going… oOoOh! It's kind of neat, you know. I've set it u! Do you guys like Riku? He's Rin's son. I think his name means agony of separation. Fitting, eh? I finished this at 8:15 in the morning so be happy! I am a young, young writer who is a bum (okay, so I'm totally not) and very tired. But I have to get ready to practice a play today, so good bye!

REVIEW! If you don't you know what happens so press the little button to review!


	16. Cemetery

**Cemetery**

Disclaimer: Read the one from before.

Sesshomaru flew at a very quick distance towards the south end of town with Kagome on his back and Riku following. No one knew where he was headed except for Sesshomaru, who didn't inform anyone of his destination. Sesshomaru abruptly, but gracefully, stopped.

Kagome had closed her eyes for the ride and didn't open them yet. She felt with her senses. A cold stillness was in the air around them, wind blowing around once a minute. There was no smell, and the only taste was stale air. Kagome used her miko powers to see what essences were in the area. Hundreds of black glows appeared. She couldn't determine who or what they were but she knew they were dead. She was standing in the entrance to a cemetery.

Kagome's eyes opened. Sure enough, tombstones stood all around her front. She felt almost as if she was paralyzed. The coldness of it all stunned her. How could Sesshomaru take her to a horrendous place like this? How? When all her closest friends were dead he took her to a cemetery to be reminded of them… It hurt.

Sesshomaru wordlessly took her by the hand and lead her and Riku to a tombstone. Kagome squinted, but she couldn't see what the name was. It had been worn away with time. How long it had been, she couldn't tell.

Sesshomaru bent down to the tombstone. He motioned to Riku. Riku stood beside him unwillingly. He knew what Sesshomaru wanted form him, but pretended he didn't. Sesshomaru motioned to him again and he pulled out a yellow cloth ribbon reluctantly. He slowly handed it to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru nodded and touched his pant leg lightly. Since it was at a horizontal angle, a sword easily slid out. Sesshomaru grabbed the handle and held it point down. He tied the ribbon around it with one hand, holding it with another. It was all wordless.

Kagome was shocked. She had recognized the sword. It was the Tenseiga! It was amazing that he had retained it for so long. It looked good, too. It looked just like when Kagome had seen it last. It was also spectacular how well hidden it was. She hadn't even seen any crease in his pant leg. He didn't look as if he had any cuts either. He must have been very careful. But then again, it had been five hundred years. It must have become routine through all that time. Nevertheless, Kagome was impressed.

Sesshomaru spoke. "Kagome, would you come?" He asked her.

Kagome walked slowly and cautiously over to him. Her steps were slow and light, padding along softly. She was unconsciously trying not to disturb the dead. She stopped a foot away from Sesshomaru. "What is it, Sesshomaru?" She asked him nervously.

"Would you touch the hilt of the Tenseiga?" Sesshomaru asked cautiously. He knew that the Tenseiga was not exactly the fondest object of her memory. It had caused many deaths.

Kagome nodded obligingly. She held out a tentative hand and lightly touched the sword. An aura pulsed around her hand and she tightened her grasp on instinct from the thick aura. It burned her hand and Sesshomaru took a grip over it. It made a difference. Kagome's hand now felt only slightly warm. But now there was a burn. It stung as she maintained a strong grip. Riku took hold of her hand reluctantly and the burn faded away. Did he have healing magic? The sensation suddenly came back. Kagome gasped in pain.

"Think of the one dearest to you!" Sesshomaru yelled. Kagome could tell that he, too, was also in pain. Kagome thought of Sesshomaru. Though she loved her mother, grandfather and brother very much, he was the person who actually understood her, better than anyone else now. Sesshomaru on the other hand, was a mystery to her.

Sesshomaru's method was true to its word. The pain faded away thanks to her thoughts of Sesshomaru. Kagome then supposed that Sesshomaru really _was_ the closest person to her. Yet Kagome struggled to keep from falling on the ground as her legs buckled beneath her. She couldn't fathom why, but she felt the need to. All of her joints grew weak but there was no pain, only stress. Her muscles contracted and everything in her tightened up. She almost screamed out in shock.

A bright light appeared in the sky. It wasn't very big, but was shaped as a cube. Kagome could see it distinctly as she squinted. She focused on it rather than the strange things happening to her body. Sesshomaru and Riku had already done the same. It was directly above them. As she glanced closer, she saw a wide ring around it. She felt a quake around her, though faint. The ground was melting away around her! It was only metres away! As the ring grew smaller, the ground that fell grew closer. Kagome's heart beat faster.

Kagome closed her eyes. She couldn't watch the scene. She was going to die. But, Sesshomaru was her friend. He wouldn't kill her or even think about it! He would certainly never bring her to a graveyard and kill her, killing himself and Rin's son while doing so. _She had to believe in him._ Kagome thought as she bit her lip. _I'll have to._

The ground caved in again. "What is wrong with you, Sesshomaru!" Riku shouted to Sesshomaru. His face was red and showed in a classical colour contrast to his black hair.

Sesshomaru remained calm, though his eyes flicked around the scene. "Nothing. We are going somewhere. Wait." His words were short, brief and uninformative. However, Riku asked no more questions.

The wind had picked up. Kagome's hair had become a mess of grass and twigs. Her hair hadn't even been this dirty in the Feudal Era! Kagome felt the urge to reach back and pick them out. But by doing that she would let go and might stop them from saving Sesshomaru. She held on.

"Aaaaaah!" Kagome screamed as the ground beneath her fell. The adrenaline caught up with her as the wind blew hard with the rapid fall. She no longer felt anything except the wind…

And a smooth landing…

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: Wow, a real cliffy. I wonder where they will go… Obviously somewhere magical. I like this chapter, though. It turned out well. It was very suspenseful. Kagome's very confused… and she didn't die, so that's good. Hey, it's not marked tragedy!

Sorry it's a little late. I know I usually post on Saturdays, but the login page was down. I don't know why! I finished it on Friday.

Thank you guys all who reviewed! I'm saying this because I got NINE reviews for Chapter 15, my highest by, I think, two? Reviews and hits make me happy and loved. I mean, if you don't review, then just make sure to appreciate the story.

I know it's short, but I wanted it to be a cliffy, so I had to cut the next chapter for, you guessed it, next week. Wait for it!

REVIEW! No flames, flamers!


	17. Time

**Time**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the last chapter.

Kagome didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to see whatever she would see… In case it wasn't what she wanted to see. What she wanted to see… Well, it was safe to say she wouldn't see it, ever. So she didn't open her opens, creased and shut.

Sesshomaru pulled her up. His hands were careful and strong. Kagome wobbly stood unable to sense her surroundings as she normally would, because of her lack of sight. When Sesshomaru let go she started to fall down. She used her miko senses and saw something sharp. She winced.

Two pairs of strong hands held her up and Kagome instantly opened her eyes, not used to the second pair. As she opened her eyes she instinctively gazed around. The trees were a bright, vivid green, surrounding her. It didn't look like autumn to her, here. It looked like Spring, from the temperature. She looked down. There was a tombstone. It was the same one from the cemetery.

Kagome whipped her head around to thank her saviours and saw both Sesshomaru and Riku. Riku had instantly let go and Sesshomaru had let go a little after. After all, Sesshomaru knew her much better.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru said. "I take it you know where we are." He said slowly. His warm eyes were piercing through her. She couldn't tell what emotion he was feeling. She could only see that he was interrogating her. Why? She was not sure.

Kagome nodded her head slowly. "The graveyard we were in before. Maybe…" She slowed down, a theory popping into her head. A ridiculous one at that, but it was possible. "The Feudal Era?" She finished slowly. Her head was pounding now. What if she was right?

Sesshomaru smiled at her lightly. It was almost unnoticeable. "You are very close, but no. We are, though it is disturbing to say this, but before." He said slowly. Sesshomaru's eyes warmed from their frosty disposition.

Kagome gaped at the statement. "But… But how? What… how… I just don't get it, Sesshomaru!" She yelled, confused. How could they be before the Feudal Era? They didn't have tombstones before then! At least, they didn't have any from her knowledge.

Sesshomaru started to speak, as if he was telling a story. "We have just entered the birth of the first thing of their kind. The first shall be born in one day, exactly. I do not know the approximate year, but I know this is true. I hope you quickly adapt to this time period. We may have to stay here for years." His words were sharp and short to Kagome.

Kagome nodded, nervous that she was in such an unfamiliar world. "Uh, Sesshomaru?" She asked him. "Won't we look weird to the natives, whatever they are?" Kagome didn't know whose grave she had entered, because it could have been a human's, and, well, they would have stuck out like sore thumbs!

"You need not worry about that, Kagome." Sesshomaru told her. His tone was somewhat sharp, but somehow what Sesshomaru said made Kagome feel happy inside, maybe it was because he was saying them.

Riku cut into Sesshomaru's words to help out. "Humans already exist here, and when we transported through time, since it was a grave, our clothes transformed."

Kagome nodded. She understood, but somehow felt confused. She didn't know why that hadn't happened when she travelled through the well. She guessed that she would have to live with it and ask about it later.

Riku started off to the left of Kagome but Sesshomaru started talking to him as he walked. "Riku?" Sesshomaru asked. "Where are you going?"

Riku didn't stop walking. "I'm going to the village, _Sesshomaru_. Where else do you think I would be going? Oh, yes, I am actually going so smartly to the hunting grounds where I will purposely be killed by weak humans." Riku drawled sarcastically. He really disliked Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "I don't know how you'll get to the village. As far as I can smell, (AN: Um, you know? No offences to people who already know, but this is how a dog demon senses things, so, yeah.) there is at least one square kilometre of men-at-arms ready to attack intruders. You will die. You are a half-demon, true, but these many trained men can beat you."

Riku turned around and glared at him. "That's why you're coming with me, and Kagome's staying behind, right?" Riku said cockily, crossing his arms and leaning against a nearby tree.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "No, Riku."

Riku blinked, startled from Sesshomaru's impudence. Sesshomaru usually did what he wanted, even though he usually objected to what he said. "Why not, Sesshomaru? Do you have a better plan than mine?"

"Actually, yes I do, Riku." Sesshomaru told Riku. "It is to leave you here with Kagome. I will be fighting the soldiers. Don't get angry." Sesshomaru started walking in the direction Riku had started to go earlier.

Sesshomaru calmly walked past both Riku and Kagome. Kagome now saw that he was wearing the same clothing from when he was in the Feudal Era. The dress must have been similar.

"Sesshomaru!" Riku yelled. Kagome saw that a few birds had flown out of their trees. Riku, she could see, was not the type to take precautions. He reminded her of Inuyasha, though she hadn't seen the kind side of him, yet. (AN: Don't worry, folks! This does happen to be a SessKag fanfiction, even though there's something between Inuyasha and Kagome in the anime.)

"Yes, Riku?" Sesshomaru turned around, though he was in the middle of the forest, to see Riku with his advanced vision. "Please don't yell so loudly next time, though." Sesshomaru added before Riku could answer.

Riku ignored the last comment on the outside, though he instantly started fuming inside. "What's the big plan for leaving me out, huh?" He said, less loudly, to Sesshomaru, though he was tempted to yell even louder.

Kagome smiled. She thought that even though Riku was like Inuyasha, he was more polite. It was funny to think that way for Kagome. Riku was so impudent, and thinking he was even a little mature was kind of odd to her.

Sesshomaru had to fight a smirk at Riku. The boy could be so childish at times! "Riku," He said loudly, though not loudly enough for the opposition to hear. "Kagome, though she is strong, will not be able to hold off whoever may attack her on her own. You cannot beat an army alone. I can. Therefore you and Kagome will stay together, because your strength combined equals around mine. We are divided because it is smarter to go into two groups, so that if one goes down, it is likely the other will live. Do you understand?" Sesshomaru finished his explanation. He walked off.

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I worked on this for like, three hours on Saturday. Pathetic, I know. But hey, I'm a nerd and the library just got stocked :-D But now I've read all the decent ones in so, yeah. Back to Chapters or convincing, in vain, to get my mom to pay a fine we don't deserve to pay for Terry Fox Library. Ah, meh.

I might be late next week, but I'll try really hard not to. I have a Music Retreat so I'll be gone for three days, leaving me with, like, four days to write my chapter and none of my days that I usually write on. So… I hope it is okay!

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE REVIEW! I now NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED them. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE reviews. REVIEW!


	18. Theory

**Theory**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the last chapter.

Sesshomaru walked through the forest. His stomach was still healing, but he was much better and very strong. By the next day it would be healed. By now it was half-healed. His long strides quickly took him through the deep forest.

As he came out he saw a barricade of tanned men, wearing nothing but loincloths. He was only mildly disgusted. After all, this was a heavily populated village. They must have not had many supplies. Their weapons were pointed straight at him. They were spears and had stone tops tied to them with long stalks of grass. Their hair was long and dark, but not black. Their faces were angry. They were ready to battle with him.

Sesshomaru was ready to battle with them, too.

o0o With Kagome and Riku o0o

Kagome pulled on the hem of her sleeve nervously. She knew Sesshomaru was still hurt and was putting himself in danger. She didn't stop him because he was, as usual, right. They would do better divided. She and Riku were weaker than Sesshomaru, even though she didn't like to admit it. Nevertheless, she was still strong in her own way with her miko powers. She could, maybe, be as strong as Sesshomaru if she had enough time.

_Wait,_ Kagome thought. _Time… If Sesshomaru kills those people won't he be changing history by ridding those people from that world? _Her eyes widened with that idea. _I have to go stop him. The results could be horrendous! _Kagome let go of her sleeve and began running towards the forest.

Riku cupped his hands hurried to his mouth and yelled at her. "Higurashi, stop!" His angry, loud voice boomed over her. You could hear the anger in his voice. Obviously, he didn't like to be left alone… Because of his tragic past.

Kagome didn't stop. But, just to let him know about where she was going, she called back. "I need to see Sesshomaru, Riku! If he kills those people, he could change the future!" Her voice wasn't very loud, but with his half-demon ears, he could hear her as well as a normal person talking to someone in front of them. As she ended her statement, Riku lost sight of her.

Riku ran after her, muttering curses under his breath. _Stupid girl,_ He thought. _Why can't she just let me handle this instead? Whatever, the wench will just get herself killed sooner or later, with all of her reckless stunts. She should just stay out of the way and let all the _men_ handle the fighting. Women are weak. Women can't do the things men can…_

Riku flashed back on a memory… Sesshomaru stood shocked, staring at a black-haired man. His brown, heartless eyes were filled with hate. "Your precious daughter is dead." The man spat out. "It's your entire fault, Sukago." His glare became more intense, as if he was trying to stare him down. If he was, he was failing. "I hope you die." The man's last words were spat out before he started violently twitching. Riku couldn't take it. He blinked twice, and it was gone.

Riku, quickly catching up with Kagome, whipped her around suddenly. "Wench," He said coldly. "You will die. Just let me go instead." He pushed her aside and started running in front of her at an inhuman speed, almost, but not quite, too fast for the naked human eye to see.

Kagome was, by no means, done with the half-demon yet. She was not going to let Riku tell her off because she wasn't a half-demon. "Wait!" Kagome yelped, holding a hand up. "Why are you putting yourself in my position?" She asked. Her voice was now soft.

Riku, like Kagome, did not feel he had to turn around to make himself heard. "Sukago will kill me if I let you die. I will not die so easily. You got that?" Riku said to her.

Kagome could barely hear him, since his half-demon speed took him at three times her speed through the forest. She stopped walking. Kagome just stood there. _Does he really treasure himself so much?_ She thought, worried that Riku was a person who only cared for himself and wallowed in conceit. _No,_ She assured herself. _I just don't think he's like that…_

Kagome heard the faint cries of men, being killed quickly, but not painlessly. Sesshomaru probably hadn't had to kill for a long time. Her heart beat quickened. He was killing them… And the world would change. Painlessly it would happen, or so it seemed, and maybe, maybe, one of those men was her ancestor. She would die, along with them. Quickly and painlessly.

Kagome rushed through the forest, her will and drive urging her to incredibly fast speeds, thanks to her miko powers. She began to glow with a brightly coloured white aura, different to her usual aura. She didn't notice. Kagome was only concerned about getting to Sesshomaru and stopping him.

She didn't completely notice, but she had tapped Sesshomaru on the shoulder, stunning all the men because of her agility, higher than even Riku's by far. She wondered if it was by her clothes, which brought her to think of what she was wearing. Come to think of it, what was she wearing that was suitable for these times? She quickly glanced down and saw a simple pair of clothes. Well, simple for a kimono, that is. Her kimono was white with red hems and obi. On her feet were traditional Japanese shoes. She hadn't even noticed the change of footwear while she was running. How strange.

"Stop, Sesshomaru." She whispered to the demon former lord, embarrassed that everyone was staring at her. She looked very fancy compared to them. "You could," Kagome began softly, flushing a dark red. She was never one for the spotlight. "You could change time and take away people from the modern world." She finished, softer still.

Sesshomaru didn't flinch. "It will not have any effect, Kagome. I will explain later." His answer was short, but not as short as it could be. He, unlike Kagome, was not embarrassed. He just didn't seem to have any emotion right now. It scared her, knowing that he was, for now, completely emotionless.

Kagome just closed her eyes as he killed the rest of the people. She didn't like killing innocent people, or watching people do so. She could feel an aura of regret around him. As he killed the last person he started toward the village. Kagome smiled sweetly to herself, still looking down.

He still had emotion.

Author's Note: Ach mein GOTT! I have broken 100 reviews! TRIPLE DIGITS Y'ALL! professionaldooropener was my hundredth reviewer, and they and other reviewers review, like EVERY chapter. I LOVE you guys!

Yeah! I got this done on _Monday!_ Seriously, _Monday_! I am so committed. All bow before me! Hee hee hee! I am so awesome! Now, I will post next time normally. Unless, of course, all my stuff catches up with me. That wouldn't be too great, huh? Whatever, I'll see you next Saturday!

Riku seems a little feminist, huh? I know most of you don't like him, but I do! He's cool to me. I'll reveal to you through the story, and even, GASP, the possible and likely sequel! It might have something to do with his mother.

Hey, whose grave did they use as a portal? I might say sometime, I might not. Obviously it's not Rin's, or Miroku's or Sango's. Well, or any human's. Most importantly, what were they?

Why did the killing not matter? How did Sesshomaru know? All will be revealed, eh, sometime or the other, huh? This is totally free for all, except the grave's owner and Riku's past.

Review! Thank you!


	19. Travel

**Travel**

Sesshomaru walked to the village slowly. Kagome was trailing behind him, idly. She had been comforted by Sesshomaru's words that the killing didn't matter. Nonetheless, she was confused, and would, soon enough- get the answer from the demon lord himself.

A figure's bare feet tore into the ground as he halted. Kagome turned to see who it was, then heard the complaints. It was Riku, clad in an incredibly simple dark blue kimono, accenting his black hair, which had been brought up in a small ponytail, but still looking masculine. His feet had the simpler Japanese sandals with socks. Kagome realized he must have had trouble running in them, unlike her. He looked like someone of higher class that didn't make as much money.

"Wench, why the heck did you have move so freaking fast?" Riku said, glaring at Kagome. His arms were crossed and he reminded Kagome, though she didn't know why, of a child who had lost his toy through the bars of his crib. Well, minus the pouting face. Still, he was obviously mad.

Kagome grinned at him teasingly. "I had something I needed to do, Riku. Sorry, but it was incredibly important." Her eyes glittered. Now the relationship between them reminded her of Rin and Jaken, except she wasn't sure if Rin annoyed Jaken on purpose.

Riku scowled at her. "Importance is not important to me." He glared at her intensely as Kagome fought not to laugh. What a funny thing to say! What a pun! What a pun, indeed!

Sesshomaru didn't turn his head around, but made an effort, a successful one, to comment on Riku's play of words. "Riku, you do realize that statement was faulty, correct?" He asked, formally, but still mocking, but not in a harsh way. Riku was the last bit of life remaining of Rin.

Riku grunted at Sesshomaru while glaring. Sesshomaru could tell it was a yes, while also meaning 'shut up'. And that yes was a yes to different things. It was yes to 'Sesshomaru is a complete idiot', 'Sesshomaru is a freak of nature' and others that would fit the description.

Sesshomaru responded with the same tone as he had used before. "'Importance is of no importance to me.' It indicates that you place no importance on… importance? How can you rate the importance of importance? Does importance only refer to the other person's feelings of importance? Or does it refer to your own importance as well. In that case-"

He was cut off by Riku's yell. "Shut up, you old man!" Riku bellowed to him. His fists were clenched and his face was turning red, which did not look attractive in the least. He was like a kid, used to getting his way.

Sesshomaru grinned. No one could see it because he faced forward, but all the same, 'twas a mocking grin from the Lord Sesshomaru who had a heart of ice. If anyone would have seen, it would have been awkward. No one saw, fortunately. "Don't cut me off. I haven't finished yet. That was rude." His tone was no longer formal, but playfully mocking. "_In that case,_" He began again, ready for an interruption. Sesshomaru received none. "You were incorrect in your statement and should try to correct it."

Riku glared at him even more severely than before. "I can explain, you old fool!" He bellowed to the elder. Riku's face was now a full-fledged red and his palms had marks in them from his tight grip.

Sesshomaru grinned even larger at the younger half-demon. He was glad the Riku couldn't see it or Kagome. "Then will you grace Lady Kagome and me with your detailed explanation?" He asked, pretending to be formal.

Riku looked as if he was about to burst, Kagome saw it, and Sesshomaru sensed it. They both fought to hold in laughs.

"Eh, you see, um, I, meant, uh," Riku tried to explain but even though he had a large amount of intelligence, and if calm could explain it quite well, could not at the moment. Obvious to say, he was incredibly embarrassed.

Kagome and Sesshomaru thought that that was incredibly funny, and Kagome showed that. She did one of the most insulting things someone could do to Riku, in his opinion. She laughed. Lo and behold, it was a loud laugh, not just a little chuckle or giggle like one of a normal teenage girl.

Riku gave her a glare so severe Kagome instantaneously shut up. His eyes had seemed to pop out and turn red. Eek. (AN: No, that is not because he is evil, just something funny to point out!)

Sesshomaru turned around and gave him a scolding look that a father would give to a son when he had broken his wife's favourite vase. Riku glared right back at him, but shut up.

They were silent for a few minutes as they padded along the grass field that Sesshomaru had said would take them to the village. All had their heads bowed, except for Sesshomaru, who kept his head up, now formal and straight. They looked like a small army, with Sesshomaru leading the two, who looked, to any outsider, like obedient troops.

There was no gate, nor pavement to symbolize that the village began when it began. Sesshomaru guessed it began with the circle of huts that circled the outside. He could sense activity rushing around the village. Sesshomaru was quite sure they were preparing for battle.

Riku and Kagome's thoughts mirrored the white-haired demon's. Riku flexed his fingers, preparing to use one of his favourite attacks. He never really got the chance to spar. The attack he wanted to use was pretty powerful, and only he knew about it. He had only tested it on harmless dummies.

Kagome wished she had a bow and arrow, but she doubted Sesshomaru or Riku just happened to have one. Just in case, by a strike of faith, there was a quiver and bow on the back of her dress, she reached over her shoulder to find nothing. She would probably have to concentrate her miko powers. How, she did not know. If she couldn't do so, she would be left defenceless.

The three were now only steps away from the village. Sesshomaru spun around slowly to look at Kagome. "Kagome," He said gently. "I know you have no bows or arrows, and the person whose grave we passed through blessed me with them. Perhaps he only wanted you to use them at the right moment." Sesshomaru reached inside one of the layers of his kimono and took out a quiver of arrows, all very nicely made, and a beautiful wood bow, with swirls and carvings delicately whittled.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru." Kagome said as she tenderly took the bow and quiver from his hand. She was touched at the kind gesture. Even though he probably could have used the bow and arrow, he gave them to her to protect her. He gave them to her because he didn't want her to die. Kagome had always known that Sesshomaru had a loving heart.

Sesshomaru gave her a soft smile and Kagome smiled at him in return. It wasn't because it was polite, or because she felt obligated to, but because it felt so right smiling at Sesshomaru. It made her heart warm.

"Let's get moving already!" Riku said, and stepped into a small space between two of the huts. Little known to him, someone was waiting for him and his comrades…

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: I know, I know, Sesshomaru didn't explain this chapter. Too bad. He had other things on his mind. Like fighting with Riku and Kagome. I know it was a filler chapter, too. Next chapter will be, er, surprising to most, I think. Did all my characters remain in character? Tell me!

I realized that this wasn't the best chapter, and I wasn't as early as usual (internet was down 'cause my dad messed with it. We still have a few problems!), so I put in the cute part with Sesshomaru and Kagome. I know it wasn't big, but I want their relationship to go slowly. That's why this fic will be going on for, like, a long time. I hope you will still find it interesting then.

PLEASE REVIEW! But do not flame. It's really insulting to get flamers. When people get flamers, they feel bad. I once said that I had a question about the stuck-up behaviour of someone in a story, because it was insulting to me, but it was not a flame. It was a polite question. No, I am not just saying that.

REVIEW! And flamers, you know what I will do, and it includes not so nice things with marshmallows.


	20. Welcoming

**Welcoming**

Disclaimer: I own nothing except, well, my Garage ™ shirt and my pretty Urban Behaviour ™ purse. I wish I owned more.

Sesshomaru stepped into the small space between the two huts. Quick as lightning, he pointed his deadly fingers at whoever was coming. He wasn't quite used to reacting with his sword anymore, in case he was mistaken, but his fingers were used constantly.

A young lady, around twenty, who was very pretty, was in front of him holding a dried clay pot filled with peaches. She was quite pretty, with long black hair which surprisingly was completely straight for someone of that early a time. Her complexion was a little tanned, but pretty and her eyes were almond shaped with soft blue irises. Her clothes were a deerskin tunic pinned at the shoulder and below it. She was nothing more, nothing less than a beauty.

Kagome was slightly jealous. This woman was very pretty. _I wish _I_ was so beautiful. She looks like one of those collectors' dolls you see in store windows for ridiculous prices. I'm just, well, just normal._ Kagome thought. She was so caught up in her beauty that she forgot she didn't know the woman.

Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was all politics, not about to be sucked into beauty. "Who are you and what business do you want with me and my companions?" He asked coolly.

The girl laughed, her soft lips curling attractively. "Oh, my name is Shikiyoku. Just call me Kiyo, though. Everyone does. I don't really have much business. I'm just interested in yours. I've never seen a white-haired man or such fine clothes." Kiyo said in a flirting tone. She blinked her eyelashes multiple times at Sesshomaru.

Kagome wanted to cringe. _What a slut,_ she thought. _I bet_ _she thinks Sesshomaru's rich from his clothes and wants his cash. What a, aargh!_ Kagome hated those types of girls.

Sesshomaru had thoughts along the same lines as Kagome. He was disgusted by this Kiyo and her flirty actions. "Our business is that your men attacked us and I was forced to slaughter them." He said calmly, though still Kagome noticed he sounded a little sad.

Sesshomaru cringed mentally. _Why did I have to sound so inexplicably sad?_ He thought. _I'm a little depressed that Kagome thought that I would kill all those people mercilessly, like I could've done in the Feudal Era, but it's no big deal, right?_

Kiyo blinked a few times in surprise. "Oh, my; that sounds rather troublesome. I take it they're our army men. The rest are guarding Doushi-chin-kouei, our leader. Most of them are, actually." Kiyo sounded a bit flustered, but unusually calm.

Sesshomaru was steely with her in tone; in words he was plainly political. "May we speak to Doushi-chin-kouei or whoever leads you now?" Sesshomaru asked.

Kiyo gave him a flirty smile. "Well, only if you promise to come see me later! I'll make dinner." Kiyo winked at him.

Kagome had to refrain from groaning and followed Sesshomaru, who followed Kiyo. Sesshomaru looked emotionless from afar, mouth set in a line and eyes staring with a bored expression, but Kagome knew the truth. One of Sesshomaru's white eyebrows was tilted in the slightest motion downwards in annoyance. His posture was stiffer than usual. All were signs of annoyance and Kiyo was the root of it.

They walked through the village, bustling with activity, just like any other, with primitive huts, and somewhat primitive people. They seemed to function well, though. They came upon a large mud brick palace with a hole for a door and a straw curtain to keep out the light.

Kiyo lightly pulled aside the straw curtain so that the three and Kiyo herself could walk in. Sesshomaru walked in first, seeing a throne, he guessed at the politics of the village and bowed, though he could not see, in the darkness, who he was bowing to. Kagome and Riku followed.

"Ah, so I see that our reigning city has visitors? No doubt from another city jealous of our wealth." A booming male voice said from the almost invisible throne. He stepped forward.

It was the Doushi-chin-kouei. Kagome could tell because it was written across his arm in bold red ink. He was not at all what Kagome had expected him to be. Rulers, or so she had seen and learned, were supposed to be well-built or at least smart looking. The Doushi-chin-kouei was not all that. He was round and plump, with his bright colour almost reminding her of an apple. His cheeks were dimpled and plump, like all of himself. His eyes were beady, small and slanted, his deep, dark brown irises faded into his pupils. His lips were thin and long, the curve of his smirk accented by his stringy, curled moustache. He was not at all pleasant looking.

The Doushi-chin-kouei laughed in his deep, booming voice. "Do not worry, it is only a joke. I have not seen clothes this fine that were not on me like the ones on yourselves and my court. Nor have I seen a white haired man with gold eyes. A demon, perhaps, but you seem too proud."

His comments were only jest, but it irritated Sesshomaru. _What right does he have to mock demons? A toad demon would be more attractive in appearance than him._ Sesshomaru thought bitterly.

Riku had similar thoughts, though he had ignored the prejudices and focused on looks. He loved to mock at every chance. _What a smirking beast. That grin of his… it drives me up the wall. Ugly thing, he is._ Riku smirked and adjusted his posture.

"Beg pardon, Great Doushi-chin-kouei, but these are guests." The speaker was Kiyo, looking a bit flushed as she stared at the ground. "Please allow yourself to treat them like your own loyal subjects. Their hearts seem so pure." Her bright blue eyes were downcast in both a respectful and embarrassed manner.

The Doushi-chin-kouei nodded, still with his sick smirk. "Ah, good Kiyo, your heart is as pure as you say these people's are." He directed his focus onto the trio. "May I ask your names and your business?"

Sesshomaru spoke again, knowing more about politics than the other two put together. "I am Sesshomaru, the woman is Kagome, and the younger male is Riku. Your men tried to attack us on our way here. We are former royalty, our land stolen by the people we were at war with. I knew it was smarter to let them take our land and recapture it when our city once again flourished, than destroy them, losing many lives in the process."

The Doushi-chin-kouei nodded, understanding. He must have been an expert on politics, being a leader. "We will gladly take you on. However, each of my subjects' families' has room for only one more. "Sesshomaru, you shall live for the time being with Aiitsumo. Riku shall live with Kiyo, the pride of our village," At this Kiyo blushed and bowed tastefully. "And the woman shall reside with the strongest man in our army, Seiryoku. He shall surely protect you." The Doushi-chin-kouei finished and waved them away. "Off you go, I hope the residence I have placed each of you in fits well."

They filed out of the tent, first Sesshomaru, Kagome, Riku and lastly Kiyo, who rushed to catch up to Sesshomaru after backing out.

"Kiyo, come back!" The Doushi-chin-kouei voice boomed, calling Kiyo.

The blue eyed girl rushed back into the tent. Sesshomaru, Kagome and Riku started walking, knocking on random doors.

oOoOoOo With the Doushi-chin-kouei and Kiyo oOoOoOo

"My sweet, I trust you shall 'take care' of these people? Take out Sesshomaru, then Riku. Seiryoku will finish the wench."

"Of course, master. I only live to serve, do I not?"

"You do, girl. Inform Aiitsumo, your sister of her housing of Sesshomaru, the man. Do you not think he resembles a demon?"

"I do, oh, I do. He is far too handsome, though. It would be a pity if he was."

"Now, let us begin…"

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note:


	21. Accommodations: Seiryoku and Aiitsumo

**Accommodations: Seiryoku and Aiitsumo**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the last chapter! I'm too lazy to waste time…

Before Kiyo had come out, as her conversation had lasted for a few minutes, Sesshomaru decided to put his word in about what he thought of the Doushi-chin-kouei and Kiyo.

"I don't think they're trustworthy," Sesshomaru said quickly and quietly, not wanting to be heard by anyone other than Riku and Kagome.

"What?" Kagome said, unable to hear him. She bent toward him closer, her ear turned toward him.

Riku scoffed, unable to accept that if she was as precious as Sesshomaru seemed to think she was – yes, he saw the way his 'grandfather' doted upon her – how she couldn't even hear a whisper? Was she deaf?

Sesshomaru sent a glare towards Riku and the dark-haired man rolled his eyes, but didn't retort. Sesshomaru then repeated what he had said to Kagome.

"Kiyo and the Doushi-chin-kouei, right?" Kagome said, but didn't wait for an answer. "I agree. The Doushi-chin-kouei seems power mad."

At this both Sesshomaru and Riku were surprised. The man had seemed rather odd, but power mad? Well, he did have much more materialistic things than the villagers, well, at least Kiyo. Kiyo did mention something about having the majority of guards protecting him… Kagome remembered that? She must have been pretty smart. Riku guessed that was the reason Sesshomaru accompanied her. It wasn't that Riku liked Sesshomaru; it was that he thought very little of Kagome.

"And Kiyo just, well, disturbs me. She has a crush on you, Sesshomaru," Kagome added, ignoring the surprised looks on their faces before.

Sesshomaru sighed at her statement. "Unfortunately, I know. She's been obvious. Now quiet, she's coming out," He said.

Kagome withdrew her head and pretended to look bored from the wait, twiddling her fingers, Riku sent her a look that said she was an idiot (also a cover-up, but he kind of felt like that), and Sesshomaru was just… stiff.

"Alright, since Seiryoku's house is closest, we'll drop off the woman first, alright?" Kiyo said as she came out, standing beside Sesshomaru and grasping his arm.

They, not really caring (except Kagome, who was annoyed she had been called woman, but more annoyed at Kiyo's grip on Sesshomaru) nodded. They followed Kiyo to a hut that, unlike all the others, had no pots or such out front or steam from the hole in the roof. It seemed to have a lonely air around it.

Kiyo said, "Follow me, I have a feeling he's inside." She stepped through the unclad 'door' and the others followed.

Sesshomaru quickly took in the furnishings of the hut, or lack of. There was a single bed of straw and leaves and a pounded clay floor, like the Doushi-chin-kouei's. _The army must be pretty important, since he's the strongest and has the same floor as the Doushi-chin-kouei. I wonder how this Seiryoku will react to having to house Kagome,_ Sesshomaru thought.

There was nothing else in the room except for a man sitting quietly on his bed, staring at Kiyo. "Kiyo, for what business have you come? And who are these people?" His voice was deep, but not booming. It was powerful, but in a quiet way. Sesshomaru hadn't come across someone with that tone before. How odd.

"These people are guests," Kiyo said, "the white-haired man killed all of the guards protecting the city single-handed." Kiyo took a bright smile at Sesshomaru, who remained stoic, and giggled. "Is he not strong?"

Noticing Kiyo had ended, Seiryoku nodded, not seeming too impressed. "Yes, I suppose, but what business do they have with me?" He asked.

Kiyo giggled. "They need housing, and you have been asked to house the woman," She smiled in a fake sweetness at Kagome.

Kagome, having been called 'woman' too many times in the Feudal Era, and having to make up for her not responding when she had called her 'woman' before, acted instinctively.

"My name is Kagome," Kagome said stiffly, her jaw set. "Not woman, thank you." She glared at Kiyo, her eye twitching in disgust at the woman who had dared not address her by name.

Kiyo laughed at her. "Sorry, _Ka-go-me_," Kiyo said, mocking her name. "I'll keep it in mind." She said mockingly.

Sesshomaru, too, was now quite angry. Kagome's outburst wasn't that outrageous. Kiyo had no respectful reason to say that. _And if she does something like that again, I'll give her something to 'keep in mind', _He thought angrily, clenching his fist.

Kiyo said to Seiryoku, "I'm afraid you'll have to live with her." She told him sympathetically, grimacing falsely. Kiyo didn't notice that Seiryoku was now staring at Kagome.

Seiryoku stood up and walked over to Kagome. He was wearing a deep indigo robe, showing that, in fact, he was royalty. His black hair was pulled into a thin braid, bound with dye less cloth that went to the middle of his back. His face was dark and square, temple high and strong brown eyes. He was, Sesshomaru guessed, handsome for this time period. He was handsome to at least Kagome.

"My name is Seiryoku nii Teiichi. I am a distant relative of the Doushi-chin-kouei and the strongest man in the army. It is a pleasure to meet you." He said to Kagome.

Kagome smiled shyly up at him. "It's nice to meet you, too, Teiichi." She said in a dazed tone. Kagome really did think he was handsome.

Sesshomaru glared at Seiryoku as the black-haired man walked off with Kagome in the crook of his arm. _That… that…_ Sesshomaru tried to find something wrong with him to explain his rage but couldn't. There wasn't anything really wrong with Seiryoku.

Kiyo walked out of the cabin with Riku and Sesshomaru slowly trailing after them, though she didn't follow Kagome and Seiryoku to Sesshomaru's dismay.

Kiyo didn't bother to walk with Sesshomaru, seeing he was fuming for a reason she couldn't fathom. She stopped at a house a few houses down and walked through that door, seeming much happier than at Seiryoku's. Sesshomaru and Riku reluctantly followed.

As Sesshomaru and Riku walked in, they saw that the hut had a table with a clay stool and a large straw bed and a fire with smoke coming from the top with a woman tending to the fire while chatting with Kiyo. She was pretty, looking somewhat like Kiyo, but plainer in a way. Her skin was darker.

Kiyo introduced Sesshomaru reluctantly to the woman. "Sesshomaru, this is Aiitsumo, my cousin. You'll be staying with her," She said sadly, then perked up as she said, "But don't worry, I'll stop by every day, good-bye!" Kiyo said. She pecked Sesshomaru on the cheek, whose eye started twitching and knuckles became white.

Riku reluctantly followed Kiyo out, not wanting to be stuck with her. They trekked off to Kiyo's house. Riku had no idea what Kiyo's hut would look like. And he was a little spooked…

**To Be Continued…**

Author's Note: Ooh, what's Kiyo's going to look like? Will it have Sesshomaru posters plastered all over? Will it have gel to make her hair so straight? Wouldn't that be a shocker?

What do you think of Seiryoku? He's going to be quite the ladies' man, but mostly just Kagome's man. Just kidding! And Sesshomaru's –gasp- jealous? Yes, I like to put a bit of that in every chapter. After all, why not? It's cute!

Did I go skimpy on Aiitsumo's place? My sister's pushing me to get off so she can go on. Sorry if it's not best quality!

REVIEW!


	22. Divide and Kill

**Divide and Kill**

Disclaimer: Read the one from the last chapter!

Kiyo stepped inside her hut, leaving Riku outside. She poked her head out. "So, what are you scared of? Come in," She said in a bored tone.

Riku glared at her and said, rebelliously, "Why would I be scared of a girl?" he spat out.

Kiyo disappeared inside the house, acting somewhat upset. "Come in already, or you can sleep outside."

Riku slouched a few steps to the house, not really caring. _Her room is probably full of make up from these times; maybe I should sleep outside…_ He thought.

When he walked in, he met a surprise. Spears were pointed at his face, spikes on the floor, axes at his legs, wooden arrows at his torso and a single silver spear, held by Kiyo, at his heart.

He motioned to move backward to back away from the weapons but saw a metal wall behind him. Riku's eyes widened and he cursed at his idiocy. He had suspected, along with Sesshomaru and Kagome, that the residents were a little more dangerous than they seemed, but this was a surprise.

"What the hell is your problem?" he yelled at her, looking around him to try and find an exit, hoping that something was defective or forgotten. There was no opening, he couldn't even escape underground. Riku would have to do something he had done only once before, in his childhood.

He closed his eyes and pressed his palms together, sucking in his breath as Kiyo threw the spear at his heart. A grey aura radiated around him and the spear bounced off, sending its back into Kiyo.

"Damn you!" Kiyo yelled; her beautiful face not so beautiful any more. Her face was contorted into one that was mad, very mad. Her eyebrows pushed together, creating wrinkles, her mouth of perfect teeth bearing them grinding top against bottom, her eyes mad with rage.

The grey aura grew and grew until the whole hut was destroyed, charred with a fire surrounding where the end of the aura had been on the ground, going up to eight feet tall.

Riku walked through them slowly, his eyes burning red as he walked slowly toward Sesshomaru's hut to warn him. After all, they were practically blood, weren't they?

He saw the few remains of Kiyo's burned skeleton, having tried to jump away from the flaming grey aura.

Riku saw the crowd of people gather up to see Kiyo's burned hut but ignored them. He confidently walked through the entrance to Aiitsumo's hut, praying Sesshomaru was there.

"Sesshomaru," he said gruffly as the white-haired demon appeared in front of him, stone-faced.

"Riku, you really must learn to control your temper," Sesshomaru said stiffly, staring him in the eye.

"You have to learn not to play the role of that b------ father of mine. I don't care for authority," Riku said, clenching his hands into fists.

"Come with me and we will alert Kagome. Aiitsumo is with the villagers, looking at your temper tantrum," Sesshomaru said.

"Whatever," Riku said.

The two walked out of the hut, unnoticed from all the attention to the burned down hut.

"Do you want to know why I burned down freaking Kiyo and her freaking hut?" Riku asked gruffly, not going to explain even if Sesshomaru wanted it explained.

"You know I do," Sesshomaru said, eyes on Seiryoku's hut. He glared so deeply at it, wanting to kill the man in it.

Seiryoku irritated him so much. It wasn't just that he was doting upon Kagome from the time he set eyes on her, oh no. Sesshomaru just felt an aura come from him. It was a weak aura, yes, but an aura. It seemed to be tainted, almost demonic, but not quite there. He'd be taken down, for sure.

Riku stayed outside, while mumbling about being stuck as the watchdog, while Sesshomaru went in to get Kagome.

'I'll kill Seiryoku if he has Kagome in the crowd, staring along with the rest of the morons,' he thought brutally.

"Seiryoku," Sesshomaru addressed the man coldly as he saw him. Kagome was nowhere to be seen.

"Sesshomaru, isn't it?" Seiryoku said loudly, clapping him on the back.

He was answered with a blow to the face.

"What the hell's your problem, you freak?" Seiryoku yelled at him, covering his nose, which was now bleeding.

"You," Sesshomaru retorted.

Seiryoku tried to hit him, but Sesshomaru dodged and appeared behind him.

"Where is Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked stiffly.

"Why would I tell a moron like you?" Seiryoku bellowed, aiming yet another hit, and failing, allowing Sesshomaru to pass behind him once more.

Sesshomaru took advantage of his lack of strategy and speed and flipped him onto to the ground, mercilessly stepping on his throat.

"Reason enough for you?" he said gruffly.

"Doushi-chin-kouei," Seiryoku said, not wanting to waste his breath as he gasped for air.

"At the palace?" Sesshomaru asked, not wanting to delay anything.

Seiryoku nodded lightly, eyes fogging over.

Sesshomaru took his foot off of the man and walked away, stopping a foot before the door.

"You don't deserve to be killed by me. Oh, and yes, I _am_ a demon," Sesshomaru said, then stepped out the door to Riku, leaving Seiryoku astounded.

"No one came?" Sesshomaru asked Riku, sure Seiryoku wouldn't try to attack.

"They're morons, the only thing they can do is stare at that," Riku said, looking at the burned down hut no one had touched.

"We have to get to the Doushi-chin-kouei, he's with Kagome," Sesshomaru said, "We're going to have to run."

Riku rolled his eyes. "Is there anything you _won't _do for her?" he said dryly.

Sesshomaru glared at him, making the air around him cold. "Just run."

Sesshomaru set off at an astounding pace, Riku at half his time, but not far behind since there was such a short distance.

Sesshomaru appeared at the doorway, Riku right behind him, both panting.

Sesshomaru heard yells and saw the two people screaming. The Doushi-chin-kouei was throwing stone daggers at her mercilessly and they seemed to be surrounded by… black. Just _black_, not an object. It was an aura. It was the Doushi-chin-kouei's aura, and it was showing now, and the aura at least a foot long.

Kagome jumped up, avoiding yet another one, her eyes looking around the room for something to use in defence or offence. They came to rest on Sesshomaru and Riku.

"He's a demon!" Kagome yelled, pointing at the Doushi-chin-kouei.

Author's Note: I am so sorry for the long wait and the short chapter, so I'm going to post another chapter on Saturday or sooner. I hope this was long enough.

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter since, well, I got a few complaints, and thank you for that, I know my story was getting boring, and it's all leading up to the next chapter, or the chapter after that.

Kiyo finally dies and everyone rejoices. Yay! I was just wondering- should I end this story after they do whatever they do to this village and make a sequel or not _or_ keep going? I really care what you readers think.


	23. Finale

**Finale**

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, since if I did, it would be SessKag, which it isn't, obviously, and Hojo would be beaten up severly. Oh, but I do own this plot and Riku, who is, like, totally fun!

Sesshomaru's eyes widened at the statement. The Doushi-chin-kouei was a demon? Well, he couldn't let Kagome get hurt, demon or not.

Sesshomaru sliced out a piece of the wall and threw it at Kagome. She caught it and used it to block the next dagger.

"Take this, you freak!" she yelled, throwing it at the evil demon in rage.

A strong miko aura surrounded it, pulsing with strength as it hit him. The piece wasn't big, only about eight centimetres in diameter, but Kagome used it as best as she could, aiming right at the Doushi-chin-kouei's heart.

The Doushi-chin-kouei barely had time to move and moved quickly. He got hit in the right shoulder, the piece almost hitting his bone, but not quite. He clutched his shoulder, trying to make the bleeding stop, but to no avail.

Sesshomaru and Riku quickly got behind him and grabbed each of his arms, clamping down so hard every muscle in the Doushi-chin-kouei's arms pulsed with pain.

He moaned in pain, not able to do anything else with his body. The once mighty demon (AN: Okay, so he's pretty weak, but he knows how to play to his strengths:P) was vulnerable to whatever any of the three could do to him.

"What do I do?" Kagome yelled. She had no weapon, nothing.

Sesshomaru looked up. There was a hoard of sharpened stones and metals in the ceiling, barely visible. They were primitive, but they would have to do.

"Riku, get those stones in the ceiling and give some to Kagome. Throw them at him," Sesshomaru ordered.

Riku rolled his eyes, something he did far too often, and let go of the Doushi-chin-kouei. He ran to the wall and everyone expected him to climb it, but he stopped.

"Tie the Doushi-chin-kouei down and _run_!" Riku bellowed, notes of fear visible in his voice.

'What the hell is he doing? Why did he stop?' Kagome wondered. She was trembling, confused and annoyed.

Sesshomaru had similar thoughts. Taking Riku's words to heart, he pushed the Doushi-chin-kouei to the ground and released him, though the ruler didn't move, paralyzed with pain from Sesshomaru and Riku's inhuman grasps.

Riku pushed his hands through the mud walls and pulled a good chunk, about eight feet in diameter of the wall out. He jumped through it.

Kagome stood there for a second, scared to her wits end.

'Run! Just _run_ Kagome!' she thought, urging her feet to move. She found she couldn't, but she didn't know why.

As the walls started to fall Sesshomaru noticed the Doushi-chin-kouei's aura had spread and was slowly surrounding Kagome's. And it was incredibly thick.

'Kuso!' Sesshomaru thought, he was almost scared for the girl's life. However, he knew he could get her before it fell, though it was falling fast.

He swooped in only to find Kagome was flattened against the floor, twitching. Her aura began to burst, pushing the Doushi-chin-kouei's away and, with all its power, holding up the walls of the building, saving her from harm.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, blinded by the light. Another aura began to join it, grey. It was Riku's. Needless to say, Sesshomaru was shocked, but pleased. Riku had finally accepted her and was _saving her life_. Maybe there was hope for the half demon after all.

The two auras built up together, trying to drive the black aura away. While it had decreased, it was still there and had seemed to stop diminishing. The crowd that was once around Kiyo's hut was now around the Doushi-chin-kouei's palace, beginning a few feet away from Sesshomaru, who everyone was staring at.

The Doushi-chin-kouei had his hands digging into the ground for stability as he tried to keep a hold on Kagome's power. Sweat covered his face and his eyes had turned blood red, thirsting for the death of another.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome yelled at him.

Sesshomaru's heart beat sped up as he saw her smile at him as she called his name. 'She's okay…'

"Some help here!" Riku yelled at him.

Sesshomaru saw Riku on his knees, fangs bared as he poured out his power in an effort to stop the Doushi-chin-kouei's black aura from taking over Kagome's.

'He's asking me for help? Maybe I've broken through to him,' Sesshomaru thought.

As he stared at the pink, grey and black mass of power Sesshomaru transformed into his demon form. His figure stretched and his eyes turned red as his body altered to form his demonic body. Sesshomaru's white coat was glossy as he poured out his aura. Power was more retrievable in his demon form.

His white aura joined the rest, pushing the last bit of black away from the ball as the colour drained from the Doushi-chin-kouei's face. The walls crumbled into dust, catching the wind in the air as the combined power disintegrated it.

As the three watched, the Doushi-chin-kouei became lifeless as his grip loosened from the ground. He was an empty vessel. He was spread out against the ground, eyes and mouth half-closed in an expressionless face. His body was pale, his brightly coloured robes spread around him, emphasizing his lifelessness.

Riku walked over to the Doushi-chin-kouei quickly, examining him for any sign he was still alive.

Sesshomaru transformed back into his human form and walked past the Doushi-chin-kouei. Instead he headed to Kagome, who was dusting herself off.

He owed her an explanation, and a choice. It was now he would give them to her. He knew she might not be able to understand, but he knew that even if there was a small chance of her saying no or understanding, he would have to tell her, and there was. He didn't know how to explain, but he would try.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome called happily as she ran over to him. Her heart did a backflip. 'He gave so much of his power for me.'

"Time is different here. In your time two months have passed and the search has died down. All I have to do is explain to the police what has happened. Adding to that, everything that has happened here will be erased and everything will return to as it has been," Sesshomaru said detachedly, not quite knowing how to explain to Kagome.

"What?" Kagome said, blinking.

"Let _me_ explain," Riku said as he appeared behind her.

"Eeeek!" Kagome screeched.

"It's just Riku, it's all right," Sesshomaru said to Kagome awkwardly. He tended to be a bit like that when trying to comfort someone. This Sesshomaru didn't really know how.

"Thanks for caring," Kagome said, grinning up at him. She admired him so much; at least that was what she told herself. Kagome wouldn't let herself know that she was in love with the demon.

"You're welcome," the said demon replied, feeling more confident. 'She looks so pretty when she smiles…' Sesshomaru thought.

There was a moment of silence and the crowd kept staring at what had been the Doushi-chin-kouei's palace and his body, undamaged.

Riku broke the silence. "Well, Kagome, would you care to know what my grandfather was saying, or would you prefer for the two of you to stare at each other all day?" he commented rudely.

Kagome flushed a bright pink while Sesshomaru's cheeks were tinged so lightly only Riku noticed. Years of emotionless work had done that to him.

"Uh, yeah, I'd like to know what Sesshomaru was saying," Kagome said, bowing her head to hide her blush from Riku's only too true comment.

Riku grinned. "All he said was that less than one day in this time is two months in your time, which is currently unexplainable and that no one's looking for you two outlaws anymore. Oh yes, and why didn't you two tell me that you were running from the law and that nothing that happened here will be remembered," he said. For the next line he sped up. "And he wants to know if you're free for Friday night so you two can go to the movies." (AN: Sorry! I know it's a little forward, but I couldn't resist. Riku's only too perfect to deliver that. _And_ I kin of needed this in the story since this is the last chapter. You'll see near the end:P)

Everyone was silent until Sesshomaru spoke up. "Shall we take our leave?" he asked.

"How?" Kagome asked, feeling a little dumb that she didn't know.

"Can I have your hand?" Sesshomaru asked, trying to conceal his anxiousness at holding her hand. He felt so immature, getting all worked up about holding a girl's hand, even if it was to use her miko powers.

Kagome understood that that was the reason and gave him her hand. Sesshomaru traced a name into it.

_Inuyasha_

Kagome gasped as she made out the slight strokes on her hand. She put the pieces together. "It was Inuyasha's grave?" she asked Sesshomaru.

"Yes," Sesshomaru said solemnly.

Before they were taken through time, Kagome said a few words to Sesshomaru.

"I think I'll take you up on that invitation to a movie, though," she said, grinning up at him shyly.

Sesshomaru smiled, for the first time, at her and the blackness engulfed them as they were taken back into their own time, willing to accept whatever would come their way.

**The End**

Author's Note: Oh my god! I finished! Yay! If anyone wants to read any further (which I hope you do) I'm posting a sequel but I'm not sure if I'll write that or 'Opposing the Blind' first, but I think I'll write the sequel first. It'll mostly consist of Sess/Kag fluff and that stuff. It'll have a plot to do with- oh, wait, don't want to spoil it.

Did everyone like the minor fluff at the end? I just _had_ to add it. I was going to have an epilogue, but decided not to and it would be cruel not to include Kagome's response.

Thank you to everyone who read and/or reviewed this story. I wouldn't have written half as well if I hadn't seen the hits and read the reviews. I CHECK!

And, counting, I have 142 reviews! I'm quite pleased, if I do says so myself. Tell me if I have any mistakes, I want to correct them.

Watch out for the sequel!


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